- barnacle⇄barnacle (1), noun.
1. a small saltwater animal with a shell, that attaches itself to something under water. Man sees barnacles especially on rocks and timbers of wharves exposed at low tide or on ship bottoms raised out of the water. Barnacles are - barnacle⇄barnacle (2), noun.
Often, barnacles. an instrument consisting of two branches joined by a hinge, placed on the nose of a horse to restrain him, as when he is being shod. - barnacle⇄expr. barnacles, (British Informal.) spectacles.
Ex. No woman above sixteen ever did ... seam without barnacles (Scott).