bard

¹

[bahrd]

noun

1. (formerly) a person who composed and recited epic or heroic poems, often while playing the harp, lyre, or the like.

2. one of an ancient Celtic order of composers and reciters of poetry.

3. any poet.

4. the bard, William Shakespeare.

bard

²

Also barde

[bahrd]

noun

1. Armor.,  any of various pieces of defensive armor for a horse.

2. Cooking.,  a thin slice of fat or bacon secured to a roast of meat or poultry to prevent its drying out while cooking.

verb (used with object)

1. Armor.,  to caparison with bards.

2. Cooking.,  to secure thin slices of fat or bacon to (a roast of meat or poultry) before cooking.

bard

¹

/ bɑːd /

noun

1. 1. (formerly) one of an ancient Celtic order of poets who recited verses about the exploits, often legendary, of their tribes

   2. (in modern times) a poet who wins a verse competition at a Welsh eisteddfod

2. archaic,  any poet, esp one who writes lyric or heroic verse or is of national importance

bard

²

/ bɑːd /

noun

1. a piece of larding bacon or pork fat placed on game or lean meat during roasting to prevent drying out

2. an ornamental caparison for a horse

verb

1. to place a bard on

Bard

³

/ bɑːd /

noun

1. an epithet of William Shakespeare

Other Word Forms

• bardic adjective
• bardish adjective
• bardlike adjective
• bardship noun
• bardism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bard¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Celtic; compare Irish, Scots Gaelic bard, Welsh bardd, Breton barz < Indo-European *gwrs-do-s singer, akin to Albanian grisha (I) invited (to a wedding)

Origin of bard²

1470–80; < Middle French barde < Southern Italian barda armor for a horse < Arabic bardaʿah packsaddle < Persian pardah covering

Word History and Origins

Origin of bard¹

C14: from Scottish Gaelic; related to Welsh bardd

Origin of bard²

C15: from Old French barde , from Old Italian barda , from Arabic barda`ah packsaddle

Example Sentences

He has struck in plain sight - again - killing off Claudia's "Queen of the Castle", Celia Imrie, by quoting the bard while pouring her a goblet of wine at a lavish dinner for the remaining contestants.

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The Los Angeles Times dubbed Straight the “bard of overlooked California,” and “Sacrament” proves the praise.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Deliver Me From Nowhere” doesn’t try to tell the entire life story of New Jersey’s beloved rock bard, Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen — in fact, it doesn’t even really cover his biggest hits.

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The "remarkable" 17th century building, once home to the bard's daughter Susanna and her husband John Hall, was already undergoing a significant conservation project to help preserve it.

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This renders Mr. Bacon’s subtitle inapt: “The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald” has been told and retold by authors and bards.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal