A beard is the hair that men often grow on their face, usually on the chin and cheeks. Many men choose to grow or shave their beards for style or tradition.
He has a long beard on his face.
My father grows a beard every winter.
In nature, beard can mean small, hair-like parts on plants or fungi. These fine parts look like tiny hairs that hang or grow out from the main body.
The mushroom has a white beard underneath.
The plant’s beard helps it catch water.
In falconry, a beard is a small group of feathers found just below the beak of some birds. These feathers help protect the bird and are important for identification.
The falcon’s beard is very sharp.
You can see the bird’s beard near its beak.
A beard can mean a person or thing that hides or disguises the true person or purpose behind something. This is often used in legal or business situations.
He used a beard to hide who he really was.
The company used a beard to hide their true owner.
To beard someone means to challenge or confront them directly, often someone in power. This use is formal and less common, especially in older or literary language.
She bearded the king without fear.
They bearded the judge in court.
A beard can also mean a style involving hair only on the chin area, often called a 'goatee,' without hair on the cheeks or mustache. Men use different beard styles for fashion.
He wears a small beard, no mustache.
His beard looks like a goatee style.
To beard something means to add support or strengthen it by adding extra material. This is a less common, more technical or formal use of the word.
The walls were bearded with steel beams.
They bearded the tent poles to hold wind.
