\Bar"na*cle\, n. [Prob. from E. barnacle a kind of
goose, which was popularly supposed to grow from this
shellfish; but perh. from LL. bernacula for pernacula, dim.
of perna ham, sea mussel; cf. Gr. ? ham Cf. F. bernacle,
barnacle, E. barnacle a goose; and Ir. bairneach, barneach,
limpet.] (Zo["o]l.)
Any cirriped crustacean adhering to rocks, floating timber,
ships, etc., esp.
(a) the sessile species (genus {Balanus} and allies), and
(b) the stalked or goose barnacles (genus {Lepas} and
    allies). See {Cirripedia}, and {Goose barnacle}.
{Barnacle eater} (Zo["o]l.), the orange filefish.
{Barnacle scale} (Zo["o]l.), a bark louse ({Ceroplastes
   cirripediformis}) of the orange and quince trees in
   Florida. The female scale curiously resembles a sessile
   barnacle in form.

\Bar"na*cle\, n. [See {Bernicle}.]
A bernicle goose.

\Bar"na*cle\, n. [OE. bernak, bernacle; cf. OF. bernac,
and Prov. F. (Berri) berniques, spectacles.]
1. pl. (Far.) An instrument for pinching a horse's nose, and
   thus restraining him.
Note: [Formerly used in the sing.]
            The barnacles . . . give pain almost equal to
            that of the switch.                --Youatt.
2. pl. Spectacles; -- so called from their resemblance to the
   barnacles used by farriers. [Cant, Eng.] --Dickens.