Cutting the beard The Turks think it a dire disgrace to have the beard cut Slaves who serve in the seraglio have clean chins, as a sign of their servitude Kissing the beard In Turkey wives kiss their husband, and children their father on the beard To make one's beard (Chaucer) This is the French “Faire la barbe à quelqu'un,” and refers to a barber's taking hold of a man's beard to dress it, or to his shaving the chin of a customer To make one's beard is to have him wholly at your mercy I told him to his beard I told him to his face, regardless of consequences; to speak openly and fearlessly