beard

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Pubic hair sense is from 1600s (but cf. neþir berd “pubic hair,” late 14c.); in the 1811 “Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue,” the phrase beard-splitter is defined as, “A man much given to wenching” (see beaver).

v.

c.1300, “to grow or have a beard,” from beard (n.). The sense of “confront boldly and directly” is from Middle English phrases such as rennen in berd “oppose openly” (c.1200), reproven in the berd “to rebuke directly and personally” (c.1400), on the same notion as modern slang get in (someone’s) face. Related: Bearded; bearding.

1. A tuft or group of hairs or bristles on certain plants, such as barley and wheat. The individual strands of a beard are attached to a sepal or petal.