Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Birch"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Birch \Birch\, a.
Of or pertaining to the birch; birchen.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
birch
adj : consisting of or made of wood of the birch tree [syn: {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 tree}]
3: bundle of birch twigs used to hit people as punishment [syn:
{birch rod}]
v : whip with a birch twig
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.