branch (brɑːntʃ
)
Definitions
noun
- a secondary woody stem arising from the trunk or bough of a tree or the main stem of a shrub
- a subdivision of the stem or root of any other plant
- an offshoot or secondary part ⇒
a branch of a deer's antlers
- a subdivision or subsidiary section of something larger or more complex ⇒
branches of learning
branch of the family
- ((as modifier) ⇒
a branch office
- a subdivision or subsidiary section of something larger or more complex ⇒
- US any small stream
- mathematics a section of a curve separated from the rest of the curve by discontinuities or special points
jump computing a departure from the normal sequence of programmed instructions into a separate program area- an alternative route in an atomic or nuclear decay series
verb
- (intr) (of a tree or other plant) to produce or possess branches
- (intr) from (of stems, roots, etc) to grow and diverge (from another part)
- to divide or be divided into subsidiaries or offshoots
- (intr) off to diverge from the main way, road, topic, etc
See also
branch outAlternative Forms
ˈbranchless adjective ˈbranchˌlike adjective ˈbranchy adjectiveWord Origin
C13: from Old French branche , from Late Latin branca paw, footbranch-
Definitions
combining form in adjective combining form in countable noun
- (in zoology) indicating gills ⇒
lamellibranch
Word Origin
from Latin: branchiaTranslations
- British English:
branch
The branches of a tree are the parts that grow out from its trunk....the upper branches of a row of pines.brɑːntʃ NOUN ...the upper branches of a row of pines.
- Spanish:
rama
nf
- French:
branche
nf
- German:
Zweig
nm
- Chinese: 分枝 n
- Arabic: فَرْع n
- Portuguese: galho nm
- Russian: ветвь nf
- Croatian: ogranak nm
- Czech: větev nf
- Danish: filial nutr
- Dutch: tak nm
- Finnish: oksa n
- Greek: κλαδί nnt
- Italian: ramo nm
- Japanese: 枝 n
- Korean: 가지 n
- Norwegian: gren nm
- Polish: gałąź nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: galho nm
- European Spanish:
rama
nf
- Swedish: filial nutr
- Thai: สาขา n
- Turkish: dal n
- Vietnamese: cành cây n
Usage examples
Every available policeman, both plain-clothes and uniformed branch was working.
, Coffin on the Water (1986)The device is placed so it leads into the branch leading to the face.
New Scientist (2004)I think awards like these will encourage more people to branch out to compete in markets they may not have examined in the past".
Irish Times (2002)Appointed manager of the Stornoway branch in 1952, he got round the lack of the oval ball game by founding Stornoway Rugby Club.
Glasgow Herald (2001)This move earned him critical approval for taking `a gratifying interest in the Vienna branch of his empire '.
, A TALE OF FOUR HOUSES: Opera at Covent Garden, La Scala, Vienna and the Met since 1945 (2003)