branding iron

American  

noun

1. a long-handled metal rod with a stamp at one end, used for branding livestock, especially cattle, with a registered or recognized symbol or character to indicate ownership.

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Etymology

Origin of branding iron

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

As city librarian, he insisted that all Angelenos be allowed to use its collection and discouraged book theft by using a branding iron to burn “LA PUB LIBRARY” into books’ edges.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2022

There is a branding iron, a snake hook and an old chuck wagon dinner bell.

From Washington Times • Jun. 7, 2019

Chloé makes much of the fact that it has no curlicue C logo or other branding iron to stamp its product and, by extension, its clientele.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2016

The result was to make the term forever available as a kind of branding iron to be applied from left to right.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 11, 2016

Despite the sun bearing down like a branding iron, the market was crowded that day and sales had been strong—it was only 12:30 but we’d already made $160.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini