branch /bränch or bränsh/

1. A shoot or arm-like limb of a tree
2. Anything like a limb of a tree
3. Any offshoot from a main trunk, such as a minor road, railway line, etc (also adjective)
4. A subdivision, a section or department of a subject
5. Any subordinate division of a business, subsidiary factory, shop, office, etc (also adjective)
6. A tributary or (rare) brook (US)
7. A departure from the sequential ordering of instructions into a different section of the program, eg because of a GOTO or an IF …THEN statement (computing)

1. To divide into branches
2. To adorn with figures of branches, by embroidery or otherwise (Spenser, etc)

To spread out as a branch or in branches (with off or from)

branched adjective

branchˈer noun

A young hawk or other bird when it leaves the nest and begins to take to the branches

branchˈery noun

Branches collectively (lit and figurative)

branchˈing noun and adjective

branchˈless adjective

branchˈlet noun

A little branch

branchˈy adjective

branch line noun

A subsidiary railway line

branch officer noun (navy)

Since 1949, any officer holding a warrant

branchˈ-pilot noun

One who holds the Trinity House certificate

branch water noun (US)

Plain water, esp used to dilute alcoholic spirits in a drink

branchˈ-work noun

Ornamental figured patterns

branch out

(of a business, etc) to expand, diversify

• vessels
• vest
• vesta
• vestal
• vestals
• vestal virgin
• vestal virgins
• vestas
• vested
• vested interest
• vested interests
• vestiaries
• vestiary
• vestibula
• vestibular
• vestibule
• vestibuled
• vestibules
• vestibuling
• vestibulitis
• vestibulitises
• vestibulum
• vestige
• vestiges
• vestigia