birch

American  

[burch] / bɜrtʃ /

noun

1. any tree or shrub of the genus Betula, comprising species with a smooth, laminated outer bark and close-grained wood.

2. the wood itself.

3. a birch rod, or a bundle of birch twigs, used especially for whipping.

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adjective

1. birchen.

verb (used with object)

1. to beat or punish with or as if with a birch.

   The young ruffians were birched soundly by their teacher.

birch British  

/ bɜːtʃ /

noun

1. any betulaceous tree or shrub of the genus Betula, having thin peeling bark See also silver birch

2. the hard close-grained wood of any of these trees

3. a bundle of birch twigs or a birch rod used, esp formerly, for flogging offenders

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the birch

2. consisting or made of birch

verb

1. (tr) to flog with a birch

Other Word Forms

• birchen adjective

Etymology

Origin 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

Example Sentences

The DB5 Vantage in silver birch grey owned by Mr Williams is one of only 39 such models in the world.

From BBC

Back in my kitchen, my eyes fixated on the birch, its yellow-brown leaves clinging to its large, twisted frame.

From Los Angeles Times

In one jaw-dropping shot, a skinny plane flies on its side through a thick birch forest.

From Los Angeles Times

Penelope gave a slow spin to the makeshift globe she had fashioned out of a roundish potato and a long birch twig that had been whittled to a point.

From Literature

In my Connecticut backyard, I’ve been reclaiming the turf under my maples and birches by planting native ferns, geraniums and woodland asters.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• beat up
• clobber
• crush
• defeat
• maul
• overwhelm
• paste
• pummel
• rout
• spank
• trounce
• whip