birch
Use Birch in a sentence
noun
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 especially for whipping.
adjective
4.
verb (used with object)
5.
to beat or punish with or as if with a birch: The young ruffians were birched soundly by their teacher.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English birche, Old English birce; cognate with Old High German birka (German Birke); akin to Sanskrit bhūrja kind of birch
before 900; Middle English birche, Old English birce; cognate with Old High German birka (German Birke); akin to Sanskrit bhūrja kind of birch
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To birch
00:10
Birch
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is subtilize. Does it mean:
| to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about. |
| to chew (food) slowly and thoroughly. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
birch (bɜːtʃ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | See also silver birch any betulaceous tree or shrub of the genus Betula, having thin peeling bark |
| 2. | the hard close-grained wood of any of these trees |
| 3. | the birch a bundle of birch twigs or a birch rod used, esp formerly, for flogging offenders |
| —adj | |
| 4. | of, relating to, or belonging to the birch |
| 5. | consisting or made of birch |
| —vb | |
| 6. | (tr) to flog with a birch |
| [Old English bierce; related to Old High German birihha, Sanskrit bhūrja] | |
| 'birchen | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
birch
O.E. beorc (also the name of the rune for "b"), from P.Gmc. *berkjon (O.S. birka, O.N. börk, Swed. björk, Du. berk, Ger. Birke), from PIE *bhergo (cf. Ossetian barz, O.C.S. breza, Rus. bereza, Lith. beras, Skt. bhurjah, L. farnus, fraxinus "mountain ash"), from base *bhereg- "to gleam, white."
Meaning "bunch of birch twigs used for flogging" (1640s) led to verb meaning "to flog" (1830). Birch beer is 1883, Amer.Eng.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Gray birch has strong terminal growth and is typically well-formed with relatively small diameter branches.
If the leaf contains carotene, birch trees for example, the fading leaf changes from green to yellow.
The desk is also made of birch, its edge gently curved to echo the ceiling's lines.
In spring there will be a profusion of redbud and birch trees on the promenade.
Image for birch
Nearby Words
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