Word Study
birch
CIDE DICTIONARY
birch, n. [OE. birche, birk, AS. birce, beorc; akin to Icel. björk, Sw. björk, Dan. birk, D. berk, OHG. piricha, MHG. birche, birke, G. birke, Russ. bereza, Pol. brzoza, Serv. breza, Skr. bh. Birk.].
- A tree of several species, constituting the genus
Betula ; as, the white or common birch (Betula alba ) (also called silver birch and lady birch); the dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa ); the paper or canoe birch (Betula papyracea ); the yellow birch (Betula lutea ); the black or cherry birch (Betula lenta ). [1913 Webster] - The wood or timber of the birch. [1913 Webster]
- A birch twig or birch twigs, used for flogging. [1913 Webster]" The twigs of the common European birch (B. alba), being tough and slender, were formerly much used for rods in schools. They were also made into brooms." [1913 Webster]"The threatening twigs of birch." [1913 Webster]
- A birch-bark canoe. [1913 Webster]
birch, a.
Of or pertaining to the birch; birchen. [1913 Webster]
birch, v. t.
To whip with a birch rod or twig; to flog. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
birch, n. & v.
--n.
1 any tree of the genus Betula, having thin peeling bark, bearing catkins, and found predominantly in northern temperate regions.
2 (in full birchwood) the hard fine-grained pale wood of these trees.
3 NZ any of various similar trees.
4 (in full birch-rod) a bundle of birch twigs used for flogging.
--v.tr. beat with a birch (in sense 4).
--n.
1 any tree of the genus Betula, having thin peeling bark, bearing catkins, and found predominantly in northern temperate regions.
2 (in full birchwood) the hard fine-grained pale wood of these trees.
3 NZ any of various similar trees.
4 (in full birch-rod) a bundle of birch twigs used for flogging.
--v.tr. beat with a birch (in sense 4).
Idiom
birch-bark
1 the bark of Betula papyrifera used to make canoes.
2 US such a canoe.
1 the bark of Betula papyrifera used to make canoes.
2 US such a canoe.
Derivative
birchen adj.
Etymology
OE bi(e)rce f. Gmc
ROGET THESAURUS
birch
Punishment
VB punish, chastise, chasten, castigate, correct, inflict punishment, administer correction, deal retributive justice, cowhide, lambaste, visit upon, pay, pay out, serve out, do for, make short work of, give a lesson to, serve one right, make an example of, have a rod in pickle for, give it one, strike, deal a blow to, administer the lash, smite, slap, slap the face, smack, cuff, box the ears, spank, thwack, thump, beat, lay on, swinge, buffet, thresh, thrash, pummel, drub, leather, trounce, sandbag, baste, belabor, lace, lace one's jacket, dress, dress down, give a dressing, trim, warm, wipe, tund, cob, bang, strap, comb, lash, lick, larrup, wallop, whop, flog, scourge, whip, birch, cane, give the stick, switch, flagellate, horsewhip, bastinado, towel, rub down with an oaken towel, rib roast, dust one's jacket, fustigate, pitch into, lay about one, beat black and blue, beat to a mummy, beat to a jelly, give a black eye, tar and feather, pelt, stone, lapidate, masthead, keelhaul, execute, bring to the block, bring to the gallows, behead, decapitate, guillotine, decollate, hang, turn off, gibbet, bowstring, hang draw and quarter, shoot, decimate, burn, break on the wheel, crucify, empale, impale, flay, lynch, electrocute, gas, send to the gas chamber, torture, put on, put to the rack, picket, banish, exile, transport, expel, ostracize, rusticate, drum out, dismiss, disbar, disbench, strike off the roll, unfrock, post, suffer, suffer for, suffer punishment, be flogged, be executed, suffer the ultimate penalty, be hanged, come to the gallows, mount the gallows, swing, twist in the wind, dance upon nothing, die in one's shoes, be rightly served, be electrocuted, fry, ride the lightning, face the firing squad.Scourge
N scourge, rod, cane, stick, ratan, rattan, birch, birch rod, azote, blacksnake, bullwhack, chicote, kurbash, quirt, rawhide, sjambok, rod in pickle, switch, ferule, cudgel, truncheon, whip, bullwhip, lash, strap, thong, cowhide, knout, cat, cat o'nine tails, rope's end, pillory, stocks, whipping post, cucking stool, ducking stool, brank, trebuchet, trebuket, triangle, wooden horse, iron maiden, thumbscrew, boot, rack, wheel, iron heel, chinese water torture, treadmill, crank, galleys, scaffold, block, ax, guillotine, stake, cross, gallows, gibbet, tree, drop, noose, rope, halter, bowstring, death chair, electric chair, gas chamber, lethal injection, firing squad, mecate, house of correction, goaler, jailer, executioner, electrocutioner, lyncher, hangman, headsman, Jack Ketch.For further exploring for "birch" in Webster Dictionary Online
