BRANCH, bransh, _n._ a shoot or arm-like limb of a tree: anything like a
limb of a tree: any offshoot or subdivision, a section or department of a
subject: any subordinate division of a business, &c., as a branch-bank or
pawn-shop.--_v.t._ to divide into branches.--_v.i._ to spread out as a
branch (with _out_, _off_, _from_).--_adj._ BRANCHED.--_ns._ BRANCH'ER, a
young hawk or other bird when it leaves the nest and begins to take to the
branches; BRANCH'ERY, branches collectively.--_adjs._ BRANCH'ING, furnished
with or shooting out branches; BRANCH'LESS.--_ns._ BRANCH'LET, a little
branch; BRANCH'-P[=I]'LOT, one who holds the Trinity House certificate;
BRANCH'-WORK, ornamental figured patterns.--_adj._ BRANCH'Y.--ROOT AND
BRANCH, thoroughly--used also adjectively, as in a 'root-and-branch'
policy. [Fr. _branche_--Low L. _branca_, a beast's paw--L. _brachium_.]
BRANCHIÆ, brangk'i-[=e], _n.pl._ gills.--_adjs._ BRANCH'IAL; BRANCH'IATE,
furnished with branchiæ.--_n._ BRANCHIOP'ODA, a sub-order of Crustaceans in
the order with leaf-like feet (Phyllopods), to which the gills are
attached. [L.--Gr.]
BRAND, brand, _n._ a piece of wood burning or partly burned: a mark burned
into anything with a hot iron: a trade-mark, made by burning or otherwise,
as on casks: a particular sort of goods, from the trade-marks by which they
are known, as cigars, &c.: a sword, so called from its glitter: a mark of
infamy: a general name for the fungoid diseases or blights of grain
crops--_bunt_, _mildew_, _rust_, and _smut_.--_v.t._ to burn or mark with a
hot iron: to fix a mark of infamy upon.--_adj._ BRAND'ED.--_n._ BRAND'ER, a
gridiron.--_v.t._ to cook on the gridiron, as beef-steaks.--_p.adjs._
BRAND'ERED, BRAND'ERING.--_ns._ BRAND'ING-[=I]'RON, BRAND'-[=I]'RON, an
iron to brand with: a trivet or tripod to set a pot or kettle upon:
(_Spens._) a sword--also BRAND'ISE, a trivet; BRAND'LING, a red worm used
by anglers, found commonly in tan-pits.--_adj._ BRAND'-NEW, quite new (as
if newly from the fire).--_n._ BRAND'RETH, a stand of wood for a cask or
hayrick, a rail round a well.--A BRAND FROM THE BURNING, one snatched out
of a pressing danger--from Amos, iv. 11. [A.S. _brand_, _brond_, from root
of BURN.]
BRANDISH, brand'ish, _v.t._ to wave or flourish as a brand or weapon.--_n._
a waving or flourish. [Fr. _brandissant_--_brandir_, from root of BRAND.]
BRANDY, brand'i, _n._ an ardent spirit distilled from wine.--_adj._
BRAN'DIED, heartened or strengthened with brandy.--_n._ BRAND'Y-PAWNEE',
brandy and water. [Formerly _brandwine_--Dut. _brandewijn_--_branden_, to
burn, to distil, and _wijn_, wine; cf. Ger. _branntwein_.]
BRANGLE, brang'l, _v.i._ (_arch._) to wrangle, squabble.--_n._ (_obs._) a
brawl.--_v.t._ and _v.i._ BRAND'LE, to shake, cause to waver: to
waver.--_n._ BRANG'LING, disputing. [Prob. the two words are the same; Fr.
_branler_.]
BRANK, brangk, _n._ buckwheat. [Prob. Celt.; cf. L. _brance_, a Gallic name
of a white kind of corn.]
BRANK, brangk, _v.i._ to prance, toss the head: to strut or
swagger.--_adj._ BRANK'Y (_Scot._), showy. [Prob. a variant of PRANK.]
[Illustration]
BRANKS, brangks, _n._ (seldom in _sing._) a scold's bridle, having a hinged
iron framework to enclose the head and a bit or gag to fit into the mouth
and compress the tongue. [Scot.; ety. very obscure; cf. M. E. _bernak_,
whence BARNACLE and BRAKE; Ger. _pranger_, the pillory, Dut. _prang_, a
fetter; the Gael. _brangus_, _brangas_, is most prob. borrowed.]
BRANKURSINE, brangk'ur-sin, _n._ the plant Acanthus, called also
_Bear's-breech_. [Low L. _branca_, _ursina_, a bear's paw.]
BRAN-NEW, bran'-n[=u], _adj._ corruption of BRAND-NEW.