birch
[burch] 
| 1. | any tree or shrub of the genus Betula, comprising species with a smooth, laminated outer bark and close-grained wood. Compare birch family. |
| 2. | the wood itself. |
| 3. | a birch rod, or a bundle of birch twigs, used esp. for whipping. |
| 4. | birchen. |
| 5. | to beat or punish with or as if with a birch: The young ruffians were birched soundly by their teacher. |
bef. 900; ME birche, OE birce; c. OHG birka (G Birke); akin to Skt bhūrja kind of birch
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Cite This Source
| Spanish: | abedul, | German: | die Birke; Birken…, | Japanese: | かばの木 |
birch
(bûrch) Pronunciation Key
(click for larger image in new window) n.
To whip with or as if with a birch. [Middle English, from Old English birce; see bherəg- in Indo-European roots.] |
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
birch
| birch | |
adjective | |
| 1. | consisting of or made of wood of the birch tree |
noun | |
| 1. | hard close-grained wood of any of various birch trees; used especially in furniture and interior finishes and plywood |
| 2. | any betulaceous tree or shrub of the genus Betula having a thin peeling bark |
| 3. | a switch consisting of a twig or a bundle of twigs from a birch tree; used to hit people as punishment; "my father never spared the birch" |
verb | |
| 1. | whip with a birch twig |
Birch Run, MI (village, FIPS 08540)
Location: (43.250793, -83.789649)
Population (2000): 1,653 (726 housing units)
Area: 1.918720 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)
Zip code(s): 48415
Birch Tree, MO (city, FIPS 05734)
Location: (36.993041, -91.493663)
Population (2000): 634 (323 housing units)
Area: 1.326248 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)
Zip code(s): 65438
Birch Tree, MO (township, FIPS 20305752)
Location: (36.991044, -91.495556)
Population (2000): 1,254 (571 housing units)
Area: 49.061918 sq mi (land), 0.004893 sq mi (water)
Zip code(s): 65438
Birch Run, MI (township, FIPS 14508560)
Location: (43.256985, -83.771168)
Population (2000): 6,191 (2,414 housing units)
Area: 35.600315 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)
Zip code(s): 48415
Birch Creek, AK (CDP, FIPS 07620)
Location: (66.256708, -145.815319)
Population (2000): 28 (22 housing units)
Area: 6.122647 sq mi (land), 0.272254 sq mi (water)
Birch Creek, WI (town, FIPS 01707525)
Location: (45.238449, -91.221385)
Population (2000): 520 (389 housing units)
Area: 44.575276 sq mi (land), 2.072872 sq mi (water)
Birch Lake, MN (UT, FIPS 13706042)
Location: (47.734601, -91.939152)
Population (2000): 648 (457 housing units)
Area: 57.789426 sq mi (land), 12.577850 sq mi (water)
Birch Cooley, MN (township, FIPS 12905968)
Location: (44.569565, -94.923059)
Population (2000): 257 (98 housing units)
Area: 41.471582 sq mi (land), 0.010807 sq mi (water)
Birch Creek, MN (township, FIPS 11505986)
Location: (46.379252, -92.980401)
Population (2000): 217 (134 housing units)
Area: 35.057549 sq mi (land), 0.023286 sq mi (water)
Birch Lake, MN (township, FIPS 02106040)
Location: (46.929548, -94.481771)
Population (2000): 573 (647 housing units)
Area: 28.726267 sq mi (land), 6.628686 sq mi (water)
Birch Bay, WA (CDP, FIPS 06190)
Location: (48.932167, -122.747192)
Population (2000): 4,961 (5,105 housing units)
Area: 15.813091 sq mi (land), 5.402876 sq mi (water)
Harding-Birch Lakes, AK (CDP, FIPS 31765)
Location: (64.332517, -146.779752)
Population (2000): 216 (489 housing units)
Area: 218.763265 sq mi (land), 14.828308 sq mi (water)
Birch, MN (township, FIPS 00705914)
Location: (47.605224, -94.507283)
Population (2000): 116 (55 housing units)
Area: 34.143862 sq mi (land), 1.996847 sq mi (water)
Birch, WI (town, FIPS 06907500)
Location: (45.344352, -89.630497)
Population (2000): 801 (250 housing units)
Area: 35.761060 sq mi (land), 0.352417 sq mi (water)
Birch
Birch\ (b[~e]rch), n.; pl. Birches (-[e^]z). [OE. birche, birk, AS. birce, beorc; akin to Icel. bj["o]rk, Sw. bj["o]rk, Dan. birk, D. berk, OHG. piricha, MHG. birche, birke, G. birke, Russ. bereza, Pol. brzoza, Serv. breza, Skr. bh[=u]rja. [root]254. Cf. 1st Birk.]1. A tree of several species, constituting the genus Betula; as, the white or common birch (B. alba) (also called silver birch and lady birch); the dwarf birch (B. glandulosa); the paper or canoe birch (B. papyracea); the yellow birch (B. lutea); the black or cherry birch (B. lenta). 2. The wood or timber of the birch. 3. A birch twig or birch twigs, used for flogging. Note: The twigs of the common European birch (B. alba), being tough and slender, were formerly much used for rods in schools. They were also made into brooms. The threatening twigs of birch. --Shak. 4. A birch-bark canoe. Birch of Jamaica, a species (Bursera gummifera) of turpentine tree. Birch partridge. (Zo["o]l.) See Ruffed grouse. Birch wine, wine made of the spring sap of the birch. Oil of birch. (a) An oil obtained from the bark of the common European birch (Betula alba), and used in the preparation of genuine (and sometimes of the imitation) Russia leather, to which it gives its peculiar odor. (b) An oil prepared from the black birch (B. lenta), said to be identical with the oil of wintergreen, for which it is largely sold.Birch
Birch\, a. Of or pertaining to the birch; birchen.
Copyright © 2008, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
 |
Dictionary |  |
Thesaurus |  |
Reference |  |
