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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024branch /bræntʃ/USA pronunciation n. [countable]- Botanyan armlike division of the stem of a tree or shrub:The branches of oak trees form a V-shape.
- a limb, section, or division of a main system:the branches of a deer's antlers; the branches of the armed forces.
- a local division of a business, library, or other organization:The bank has several branches in your neighborhood.
v. [no object] - to put forth branches;
spread in branches:These trees branch at heights of fifteen feet. - [~ + off] to divide into separate parts;
diverge: The road branches off to the left. - branch out, [no object] to expand or extend in new directions:[The company branched out into electronics and computers.]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024branch (branch, bränch),USA pronunciation n. - Botanya division or subdivision of the stem or axis of a tree, shrub, or other plant.
- a limb, offshoot, or ramification of any main stem:the branches of a deer's antlers.
- any member or part of a body or system;
a section or subdivision:the various branches of learning. - a local operating division of a business, library, or the like.
- a line of family descent stemming from a particular ancestor, as distinguished from some other line or lines from the same stock;
a division of a family. - Geologya tributary stream or any stream that is not a large river or a bayou.
- Dialect Terms[Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.]See branch water (def. 2).
- Linguistics(in the classification of related languages within a family) a category of a lower order than a subfamily and of a higher order than a subbranch or a group, as the Germanic branch of Indo-European. Cf. group (def. 4a).
- Computinga point in a computer program where the computer selects one of two or more instructions to execute, according to some criterion.
- Nautical, Naval Termsa warrant or license permitting a pilot to navigate in certain waters.
v.i. - to put forth branches;
spread in branches. - to divide into separate parts or subdivisions;
diverge:The main road branches off to the left. - to expand or extend, as business activities:The bank has plans to branch throughout the state.
v.t. - to divide into branches or sections.
- Clothing, Textilesto adorn with needlework;
decorate with embroidery, as in textile fabrics. - branch out, to expand or extend, as business activities, pursuits, interests, etc.:The business is branching out into computers.
- Late Latin branca paw, of uncertain origin, originally
- Anglo-French; Old French branche
- Middle English bra(u)nche 1250–1300
branch′less, adj. branch′like′, adj. - 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged offshoot, shoot. Branch, bough, limb refer to divisions of a tree. Branch is general, meaning either a large or a small division. Bough refers only to the larger branches:a bough loaded with apples.A limb is a large primary division of a tree trunk or of a bough:to climb out on a limb.
- 12.See corresponding entry in Unabridged ramify, subdivide.
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