barb

嫌味、皮肉

相手を傷つけようとして言う短い言葉。

やさしい英語で： A short, deliberately hurtful comment about someone.

• Her barb hurt his feelings.
• The candidates exchanged barbs during the debate.
• He aimed another barb at his former boss.

類義語： dig, insult, taunt

よく使う表現： trade a barb, verbal barb, sharp barb

かえし、逆とげ

針や武器にある逆向きのとげ。刺さると抜けにくくなる。

やさしい英語で： A sharp point facing backward on a hook or weapon that makes it hard to pull out.

• The hook has a sharp barb.
• A barb caught in his sleeve.
• Removing the barbs makes these hooks safer for fish.

よく使う表現： hook barb, arrow barb, sharp barb

かえしを付ける

引っ掛かったり傷つけたりするよう、逆向きのとげを付ける。

やさしい英語で： To put backward-facing sharp points on something so that it catches or hurts.

• They barb the hooks by hand.
• The maker barbed each arrow tip.
• Why would you barb this wire?

よく使う表現： barb a hook, barb an arrow, barb the wire