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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.
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Birches
is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
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. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To birches
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."
EXPANDMeaning "bunch of birch twigs used for flogging" (1640s) led to verb meaning "to flog" (1830). Birch beer is 1883, Amer.Eng.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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