Noun

1. A professional poet and singer, as among the ancient Celts, whose occupation was to compose and sing verses in honor of the heroic achievements of princes and brave men.
   • 1924: ARISTOTLE. Metaphysics. Translated by W. D. Ross. Nashotah, Wisconsin, USA: The Classical Library, 2001. Available at: . Book 1, Part 2.

     But the divine power cannot be jealous (nay, according to the proverb, 'bards tell a lie'),

2. Hence: A poet; as, the bard of Avon.
3. A piece of defensive (or, sometimes, ornamental) armor for a horse's neck, breast, and flanks; a barb. (Often in the plural.)
4. Defensive armor formerly worn by a man at arms.
5. (Cookery) A thin slice of fat bacon used to cover any meat or game.
6. The exterior covering of the trunk and branches of a tree; the rind.
7. Specifically, Peruvian bark.

Verb

1. To cover a horse in defensive armor.
   • 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 29:

     The defensive armor with which the horses of the ancient knights or men at arms were covered, or, to use the language of the time, barded, consisted of the following pieces made either of metal or jacked leather, the Chamfron, Chamfrein or Shaffron, the Criniere or Main Facre, the Poitrenal, Poitral or Breast Plate, and the Croupiere or Buttock Piece.

2. (Cookery) To cover (meat or game) with a thin slice of fat bacon.