【明報專訊】A barb (倒刺、倒鈎) is a sharp projection, such as what you might find on fishhooks, certain kinds of wire, or on a plant (such as a rose). Though barbed words have no visible sharp projections, they can certainly cause pain for they are critical (批評的) or sarcastic (諷刺的) words meant to hurt someone's feelings. "Melissa is very kind. I have never heard her say one barbed word about anyone or anything."