branch /ˈbrænʧ/
 (vi.)分支,出枝(vt.)分割,用枝葉裝飾分支樹枝,支店,支流,分部,部門


 branch /ˈbrænʧ/ 名詞
 支流,部門,分科,分支,領域,部


 branch
 分支; 轉移


 branch
 分支


 Branch n.; pl. Branches
 1. Bot. A shoot or secondary stem growing from the main stem, or from a principal limb or bough of a tree or other plant.
 2. Any division extending like a branch; any arm or part connected with the main body of thing; ramification; as, the branch of an antler; the branch of a chandelier; a branch of a river; a branch of a railway.
    Most of the branches , or streams, were dried up.   --W. Irving.
 3. Any member or part of a body or system; a distinct article; a section or subdivision; a department. “Branches of knowledge.”
    It is a branch and parcel of mine oath.   --Shak.
 4. Geom. One of the portions of a curve that extends outwards to an indefinitely great distance; as, the branches of an hyperbola.
 5. A line of family descent, in distinction from some other line or lines from the same stock; any descendant in such a line; as, the English branch of a family.
    His father, a younger branch of the ancient stock.   --Carew.
 6. Naut. A warrant or commission given to a pilot, authorizing him to pilot vessels in certain waters.
 Branches of a bridle, two pieces of bent iron, which bear the bit, the cross chains, and the curb.
 Branch herring. See Alewife.
 Root and branch , totally, wholly.
 Syn: -- Bough; limb; shoot; offshoot; twig; sprig.


 Branch a. Diverging from, or tributary to, a main stock, line, way, theme, etc.; as, a branch vein; a branch road or line; a branch topic; a branch store.


 Branch, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Branched p. pr. & vb. n. Branching.]
 1. To shoot or spread in branches; to separate into branches; to ramify.
 2. To divide into separate parts or subdivision.
 To branch off, to form a branch or a separate part; to diverge.
 To branch out, to speak diffusively; to extend one's discourse to other topics than the main one; also, to enlarge the scope of one's business, etc.
    To branch out into a long disputation.   --Spectator.


 Branch, v. t.
 1. To divide as into branches; to make subordinate division in.
 2. To adorn with needlework representing branches, flowers, or twigs.
 The train whereof loose far behind her strayed,
 Branched with gold and pearl, most richly wrought.   --Spenser.

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 branch
      n 1: an administrative division of some larger or more complex
           organization; "a branch of Congress" [syn: subdivision,
            arm]
      2: a division of a stem, or secondary stem arising from the
         main stem of a plant
      3: a part of a forked or branching shape; "he broke off one of
         the branches"; "they took the south fork" [syn: fork, leg,
          ramification]
      4: a natural consequence of development [syn: outgrowth, offshoot,
          offset]
      5: a stream or river connected to a larger one
      6: any projection that is thought to resemble an arm; "the arm
         of the record player"; "an arm of the sea"; "a branch of
         the sewer" [syn: arm, limb]
      v 1: grow and send out branches or branch-like structures; "these
           plants ramify early and get to be very large" [syn: ramify]
      2: divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork; "The
         road forks" [syn: ramify, fork, furcate, separate]


 Branch
    a symbol of kings descended from royal ancestors (Ezek. 17:3,
    10; Dan. 11:7); of prosperity (Job 8:16); of the Messiah, a
    branch out of the root of the stem of Jesse (Isa. 11:1), the
    "beautiful branch" (4:2), a "righteous branch" (Jer. 23:5), "the
    Branch" (Zech. 3:8; 6:12).

      Disciples are branches of the true vine (John 15:5, 6). "The
    branch of the terrible ones" (Isa. 25:5) is rightly translated
    in the Revised Version "the song of the terrible ones," i.e.,
    the song of victory shall be brought low by the destruction of
    Babylon and the return of the Jews from captivity.

      The "abominable branch" is a tree on which a malefactor has
    been hanged (Isa. 14:19). The "highest branch" in Ezek. 17:3
    represents Jehoiakim the king.