Adjacent Words

Birch definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BIRCH, n. burch. A genus of trees, the Betula, of which there are several species; as the white or common birch, the dwarf birch, the Canada birch, of which there are several varieties, and the common black birch.
Birch of Jamaica, a species of the Pistacia or turpentine tree.
BIRCH

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: consisting of or made of wood of the birch tree [syn: birch, birchen, birken] n
1: hard close-grained wood of any of various birch trees; used especially in furniture and interior finishes and plywood
2: any betulaceous tree or shrub of the genus Betula having a thin peeling bark [syn: birch, birch tree]
3: a switch consisting of a twig or a bundle of twigs from a birch tree; used to hit people as punishment; "my father never spared the birch" [syn: birch, birch rod] v
1: whip with a birch twig

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English beorc; akin to Old High German birka birch, Old English beorht bright, and probably to Latin fraxinus ash tree — more at bright Date: before 12th century 1. any of a genus (Betula of the family Betulaceae, the birch family) of monoecious deciduous usually short-lived trees or shrubs having simple petioled leaves and typically a layered membranous outer bark that peels readily 2. the hard pale close-grained wood of a birch 3. a birch rod or bundle of twigs for flogging • birch or birchen adjective II. transitive verb Date: 1830 to beat with or as if with a birch ; whip

Britannica Concise

Any of about 40 species of short-lived ornamental and timber trees and shrubs of the genus Betula, the largest genus of the family Betulaceae, which also contains alders, filberts, Carpinus (hornbeam), and the genera Ostrya and Ostryopsis. Birches are found throughout cool regions of the Northern Hemisphere; other members of the family Betulaceae are found in temperate and subarctic areas of the Northern Hemisphere, in tropical mountains, and in S. America through the Andes as far south as Argentina. Leaves are simple, serrate, and alternate; male and female flowers (catkins) are borne on the same plant. The fruit is a small nut or short-winged samara (dry, winged fruit). Birches produce economically important timber. Oil obtained from birch twigs smells and tastes like wintergreen and is used in tanning Russian leather (see tanning).

Oxford Reference Dictionary

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). Phrases and idioms: birch-bark 1 the bark of Betula papyrifera used to make canoes. 2 US such a canoe. Derivatives: birchen adj. Etymology: OE bi(e)rce f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Birch Birch (b[~e]rch), n.; pl. Birches (-[e^]z). [OE. birche, birk, AS. birce, beorc; akin to Icel. bj["o]rk, Sw. bj["o]rk, Dan. birk, D. berk, OHG. piricha, MHG. birche, birke, G. birke, Russ. bereza, Pol. brzoza, Serv. breza, Skr. bh[=u]rja. [root]254. Cf. 1st Birk.] 1. A tree of several species, constituting the genus Betula; as, the white or common birch (B. alba) (also called silver birch and lady birch); the dwarf birch (B. glandulosa); the paper or canoe birch (B. papyracea); the yellow birch (B. lutea); the black or cherry birch (B. lenta). 2. The wood or timber of the birch. 3. A birch twig or birch twigs, used for flogging. Note: 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. The threatening twigs of birch. --Shak. 4. A birch-bark canoe. Birch of Jamaica, a species (Bursera gummifera) of turpentine tree. Birch partridge. (Zo["o]l.) See Ruffed grouse. Birch wine, wine made of the spring sap of the birch. Oil of birch. (a) An oil obtained from the bark of the common European birch (Betula alba), and used in the preparation of genuine (and sometimes of the imitation) Russia leather, to which it gives its peculiar odor. (b) An oil prepared from the black birch (B. lenta), said to be identical with the oil of wintergreen, for which it is largely sold.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Birch Birch, a. Of or pertaining to the birch; birchen.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Birch Birch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Birched (b[~e]rcht); p. pr. & vb. n. Birching.] To whip with a birch rod or twig; to flog.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(birches) A birch is a type of tall tree with thin branches. N-VAR

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Birch-tree, betula. 2. Rod, lash, whip, rattan, ferule.