1. The hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
   "He decided to grow out his beard for Movember";
   - face fungus [informal], whiskers
    
2. Hairy growth on or near the face of certain mammals
   "The lion's beard gave him a majestic appearance"
    
3. A tuft or growth of hairs or bristles on certain plants such as iris or grasses
   "The iris flower had a distinctive yellow beard on its falls"
    
4. Tuft of strong filaments by which e.g. a mussel makes itself fast to a fixed surface
   "The beard allows mussels to anchor themselves to rocks in turbulent waters";
   - byssus
    
5. A person who diverts suspicion from someone (especially a woman who accompanies a male homosexual in order to conceal his homosexuality)
   "He asked his female friend to be his beard at the company party"

1. Go along the rim, like a beard around the chin
   "Houses bearded the top of the heights"
    
2. Confront boldly or oppose with courage
   "He bearded the angry lion in his den"

Derived forms: bearded, beards, bearding

Type of: actor, doer, facial hair, fiber [US], fibre [Brit, Cdn], fuzz, hair, rim, tomentum, worker

Part of: adult male body, caprine animal, face, goat, human face, man's body

Encyclopedia: Beard, Mike