brandish
- to shake or wave, as a weapon; flourish: Brandishing his sword, he rode into battle.
- a flourish or waving, as of a weapon.
Origin of brandish
Synonyms for brandish
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for brandish
flash, wield, exhibit, disport, raise, show, expose, shake, warn, swing, threaten, sport, display, gesture, paradeExamples from the Web for brandish
Contemporary Examples of brandish
Those who do nothing to end the slaughter are as complicit as those who brandish their weapons.
It does not give you license to brandish a gun and wave it around.
Both Cameron and Sarkozy will now brandish their cojones, claiming to have had “a good war.”
As with his Harvard degree, Obama did not hesitate to brandish his pretty white wife with the Boston accent.
Historical Examples of brandish
I began to shout and to brandish my arms in a terrible manner.
MaupratGeorge Sand
Why brandish in that hand of thine a javelin of pointed steel?
The $30,000 Bequest and Other StoriesMark Twain
What is your stick good for that you brandish it so proudly?
Sagas from the Far EastVarious
This the ape at once laid hold of, and began to brandish like a hammer.
Animal IntelligenceGeorge J. Romanes
Fricker had his lesson to give and his scourge to brandish too.
The Intrusions of PeggyAnthony Hope
brandish
- to wave or flourish (a weapon) in a triumphant, threatening, or ostentatious way
- a threatening or defiant flourish
Word Origin for brandish
Word Origin and History for brandish
mid-14c., from Old French brandiss-, present participle stem of brandir "to flourish (a sword)" (12c.), from brant "blade of a sword, prow of a ship," of Frankish origin (see brand (n.)). Related: Brandished; brandishing.