Forms: 4–7 barbour, -or, 5 -ore, -ur, 6 -oure, 6–7 -ar, 4– barber. [ME. barbour, a. AF. barbour, OF. barbeor:—L. type barbātōr-em. Barber, rare bef. 1500, is partly due to substitution of -er for earlier -our, partly to F. barbier (= It. barbiere):—L. type barbārius; both f. barba beard.]
1. A man, or more rarely a woman, whose business it is to shave or trim the beards, and cut and dress the hair, of customers. (Now largely replaced by hairdresser.)
Formerly the barber was also a regular practitioner in surgery and dentistry. The Company of Barber-surgeons was incorporated by Edward IV. in 1461; under Henry VIII. the title was altered to ‘Company of Barbers and Surgeons,’ and barbers were restricted to the practice of dentistry; in 1745 they were divided into two distinct corporations.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., I. lxiii. A barbour was redi thare.
c. 1370. Robt. Sicily, 54. They broght a barber hym beforne.
1382. Wyclif, Judg. xvi. 19. She clepide the barbour, and he shoofe seven heeris of hym.
c. 1450. in Wright, Voc. (W.), /692. Hec tonstrix, a barbor.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, 74. For fere and doubte of the barbours he made his doughters to lerne shaue.
1594. Plat, Jewell-ho., III. 74. If your teeth be verie scalie, let som expert Barber first take off the scales.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, II. 30. For Barbers they vse their women.
a. 1625. Boys, Wks. (1629), 59. Like Barbars, who cut all other except themselves.
1722. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 14. No surgeon to be had but a sorry country barber.
1837. Thirlwall, Greece, IV. xxvii. 1. He took his seat in a barber’s shop.
1841. Dickens, Humph. Clock, 295. I would suggest that barbers is not exactly the kind of language which is agreeable and soothing to our feelings…. I believe there is such a word in the dictionary as hair-dressers.
b. fig. One who clips or cuts short; a curtailer.
1609. B. Jonson, Sil. Wom., III. ii. Wks. (1616), 554. An excellent barber of prayers.
2. attrib., as in barber fee, -shop, -surgeon (see prec.), -surgery; † barber-monger, a constant frequenter of the barber’s shop, a fop.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks. (1871), III. 282. Money for barbour fees.
1579. Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 30. Alehouses and Barbarshops.
1605. Shaks., Lear, II. ii. 36. You whoreson Cullyenly Barber-monger, draw.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., viii. 34. A certificate from Barber Chirurgions Hall of his sufficiency.
1645. Milton, Colast., Wks. (1851), 358. And like an able text man slits it into fowr, that hee may the better come at it with his Barbar Surgery.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., III. 62. Eased by this common Barber-Surgeon’s remedy.
1872. ‘Mark Twain,’ Innoc. Abr., xii. 82. We hunted for a barber-shop.
3. Special combinations and locutions: Barber’s basin, a round metal dish with a broad edge having a semicircular opening for the neck, so as to allow the chin to reach into the bowl (still sometimes used as a barber’s sign). Barber’s block, a rounded block on which wigs are made and displayed. Barber’s chair, the chair common to all his customers, fig. a drab, strumpet (obs.). Barber’s knife, a razor (obs.). Barber’s music, harsh, discordant music, like that formerly produced by customers waiting their turn in a barber’s shop, where a musical instrument was provided for their amusement. Barber’s pole, a pole painted spirally with red and white stripes, used as a barber’s sign.
1755. Smollett, Quix., I. 191. That helmet … which looks for all the world like a barber’s basin.
1836. Hor. Smith, Tin Trump. (1876), 192. A barber’s block for supporting wigs.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, II. ii. 16. Like a Barbers chaire that fits all buttockes.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., III. iv. I. iii. (1651), 665. A notorious strumpet as common as a barbars chair.
1708. Motteux, Rabelais’ Pantagr. Prognost., v. Bonarobaes, Barbers chairs, Hedge-whores.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 5 June. My Lord called for the lieutenant’s cittern, and with two candlesticks, with money in them, for symbols, we made barber’s music.
1849. Ld. Braybrooke, Pepys, V. 221. Decker also mentions a ‘barber’s cittern’ for every servingman to play upon.
1684. Lond. Gaz., No. 1977/4. To be sold in York Building … over against the Barbers Pole.
