n. 树枝, 支店, 支流, 分部

vi. 分支, 出枝

vt. 分割, 用枝状叶脉刺绣花纹装饰

[计] 分支, 目录分支

[化] 分支; 支路; 支线; 支管; 支流

[医] 支

[经] 分店(公司), 支店, 分支机构

Branch \Branch\, n.; pl. {Branches}. [OE. braunche, F. branche,
fr. LL. branca claw of a bird or beast of prey; cf. Armor.
brank branch, bough.]
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.'' --Prescott.

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 \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 \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 \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.