birch
[ burch ]
/ bɜrtʃ /
noun
any tree or shrub of the genus Betula, comprising species with a smooth, laminated outer bark and close-grained wood.Compare birch family.
the wood itself.
a birch rod, or a bundle of birch twigs, used especially for whipping.
adjective
verb (used with object)
to beat or punish with or as if with a birch: The young ruffians were birched soundly by their teacher.
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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
Words nearby birch
biracial, biradial, biradical, biramous, Biratnagar, birch, birchbark biting, birch beer, birchen, Bircher, birch family
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for birch
British Dictionary definitions for birch
birch
/ (bɜːtʃ) /
noun
any betulaceous tree or shrub of the genus Betula, having thin peeling barkSee also silver birch
the hard close-grained wood of any of these trees
the birch a bundle of birch twigs or a birch rod used, esp formerly, for flogging offenders
adjective
of, relating to, or belonging to the birch
consisting or made of birch
verb
(tr) to flog with a birch
Derived forms of birch
birchen, adjectiveWord Origin for birch
Old English bierce; related to Old High German birihha, Sanskrit bhūrja
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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