GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 4 definitions 

  1.       

    Barnacle , n. [Prob. from E. barnacle a kind of goose, which was popularly supposed to grow from this shellfish; but perh. from LL. bernacula for pernacula, dim. of perna ham, sea mussel; cf. Gr. πέρνα ham. Cf. F. bernacle, barnacle, E. barnacle a goose; and Ir. bairneach, barneach, limpet.] (Zool.) Any cirriped crustacean adhering to rocks, floating timber, ships, etc., esp. (a) the sessile species (genus Balanus and allies), and (b) the stalked or goose barnacles (genus Lepas and allies). See Cirripedia, and Goose barnacle.
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    Barnacle eater (Zool.), the orange filefish. -- Barnacle scale (Zool.), a bark louse (Ceroplastes cirripediformis) of the orange and quince trees in Florida. The female scale curiously resembles a sessile barnacle in form.
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  2.       

    Barnacle, n. [See Bernicle.] A bernicle goose.
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  3.       

    Barnacle, n. [OE. bernak, bernacle; cf. OF. bernac, and Prov. F. (Berri) berniques, spectacles.]
    1. pl. (Far.) An instrument for pinching a horse's nose, and thus restraining him. [Formerly used in the sing.]
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      The barnacles . . . give pain almost equal to that of the switch.
      Youatt.

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    2. pl. Spectacles; -- so called from their resemblance to the barnacles used by farriers. [Cant, Eng.]
      Dickens.

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    Bernicle , n. [OE. bernak, bernacle; cf. OF. bernac; prob. fr. LL. bernacula for hibernicula, bernicula, fr. Hibernia; the birds coming from Hibernia or Ireland. Cf. 1st Barnacle.] A bernicle goose. [Written also barnacle.]
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    Bernicle goose (Zool.), a goose (Branta leucopsis), of Arctic Europe and America. It was formerly believed that it hatched from the cirripeds of the sea (Lepas), which were, therefore, called barnacles, goose barnacles, or Anatifers. The name is also applied to other related species. See Anatifa and Cirripedia.
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