*branch*

‖n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. 'a priv. + &unr_;, pl., the gills of fishes. ] (Zool.) A group of annelids, so called because the species composing it have no special organs of respiration. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Without gills. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. having no gills; -- same as abranchiate. branchiate
Syn. -- abranchiate, abranchial, gill-less [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Anastomosing + branch. ] A branch of a river that reënters, or anastomoses with, the main stream; also, less properly, a branch which loses itself in sandy soil. [ Australia ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Such branches of a river as after separation reunite, I would term anastomosing branches; or, if a word might be coined, anabranches, and the islands they form branch islands. Col. Jackson. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'a`nqos flower + &unr_; gills, n. pl. ] (Zool.) A division of nudibranchiate Mollusca, in which the gills form a wreath or cluster upon the posterior part of the back. See Nudibranchiata, and Doris. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, shield + &unr_; gills. ] (Zool.) A group of Gastropoda, with limpetlike shells, including the abalone shells and keyhole limpets. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Most of the branches , or streams, were dried up. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any member or part of a body or system; a distinct article; a section or subdivision; a department. “Branches of knowledge.” Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is a branch and parcel of mine oath. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Geom.) One of the portions of a curve that extends outwards to an indefinitely great distance; as, the branches of an hyperbola. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

His father, a younger branch of the ancient stock. Carew. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Naut.) A warrant or commission given to a pilot, authorizing him to pilot vessels in certain waters. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Bough; limb; shoot; offshoot; twig; sprig. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Branched p. pr. & vb. n. Branching. ] 1. To shoot or spread in branches; to separate into branches; to ramify. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To divide into separate parts or subdivision. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

To branch out into a long disputation. Spectator. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To divide as into branches; to make subordinate division in. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To adorn with needlework representing branches, flowers, or twigs. [ 1913 Webster ]

The train whereof loose far behind her strayed,
Branched with gold and pearl, most richly wrought. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. resembling a fork; divided or separated into two branches; as, long branched hairs on its legs, on which pollen collects.
Syn. -- bifurcate, biramous, forked, pronged, prongy. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. same as branching, a.. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. That which shoots forth branches; one who shows growth in various directions. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Falconry) A young hawk when it begins to leave the nest and take to the branches. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A system of branches. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Branchiæ [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;, pl. of &unr_;. ] (Anat.) A gill; a respiratory organ for breathing the air contained in water, such as many aquatic and semiaquatic animals have. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to branchiæ or gills. [ 1913 Webster ]

Branchial arches, the bony or cartilaginous arches which support the gills on each side of the throat of fishes and amphibians. See Illustration in Appendix. --
Branchial clefts, the openings between the branchial arches through which water passes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Furnished with branchiæ; as, branchiate segments. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Having gills; branchiate; as, branchiferous gastropods. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Fullness of branches. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or state of separation into branches; division into branches; a division or branch. [ 1913 Webster ]

The sciences, with their numerous branchings. L. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Furnished with branches; shooting our branches; extending in a branch or branches. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shaded with branching palm. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; gill + E. gastropoda. ] (Zool.) Those Gastropoda that breathe by branchiæ, including the Prosobranchiata and Opisthobranchiata. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; gill + -mere. ] (Anat.) The state of being made up of branchiate segments. R. Wiedersheim. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One of the Branchiopoda. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ Gr. &unr_; gill + -poda: cf. F. branchiopode. ] (Zool.) An order of Entomostraca; -- so named from the feet of branchiopods having been supposed to perform the function of gills. It includes the fresh-water genera Branchipus, Apus, and Limnadia, and the genus Artemia found in salt lakes. It is also called Phyllopoda. See Phyllopoda, Cladocera. It is sometimes used in a broader sense. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; gill + &unr_; to cover: cf. F. branchiostège. ] (Anat.) Pertaining to the membrane covering the gills of fishes. -- n. (Anat.) A branchiostegal ray. See Illustration of Branchial arches in Appendix. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This term was formerly applied to a group of fishes having boneless branchiæ. But the arrangement was artificial, and has been rejected. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Anat.) The branchiostegal membrane. See Illustration in Appendix. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Branchiostegal. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr., Gr. &unr_; gill + &unr_; mouth. ] (Zool.) The lancelet. See Amphioxus. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr., Gr. &unr_; gill + o'yra` tail. ] (Zool.) A group of Entomostraca, with suctorial mouths, including species parasitic on fishes, as the carp lice (Argulus). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Destitute of branches or shoots; without any valuable product; barren; naked. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Branch + -let. ] A little branch; a twig. [ 1913 Webster ]

A pilot who has a branch or commission, as from Trinity House, England, for special navigation. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of branches; having wide-spreading branches; consisting of branches. [ 1913 Webster ]

Beneath thy branchy bowers of thickest gloom. J. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. caducus falling (fr. cadere to fall) + E. branchiate. ] (Zool.) With temporary gills: -- applied to those Amphibia in which the gills do not remain in adult life. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., from L. caput, capitis, head + -branchiae gills. ] (Zool.) A division of annelids in which the gills arise from or near the head. See Tubicola. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. ke`ras, ke`ratos, horn + &unr_;, n. pl., gills. ] (Zool.) A group of nudibranchiate Mollusca having on the back papilliform or branched organs serving as gills. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Pertaining to the bone, or cartilage, below the epibranchial in a branchial arch. -- n. A ceratobranchial bone, or cartilage. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. E. cirrus + L. branchiae gills. ] (Zool.) A division of Mollusca having slender, cirriform appendages near the mouth; the Scaphopoda. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. krypto`s hidden + L. branchia a gill. ] (Zool.) (a) A division of the Amphibia; the Derotremata. (b) A group of nudibranch mollusks. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Having concealed or rudimentary gills. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cyclo- + branchiate. ] (Zool) Having the gills around the margin of the body, as certain limpets. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. ] (Zool.) A group of nudibranch mollusks without special gills. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Derm + branchiate. ] (Zool.) Having the skin modified to serve as a gill. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a cephalopod having two gills; a member of the Dibranchiata.
Syn. -- dibranchiate, dibranchiate mollusk. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. 1. comprising all living cephalopods except the family Nautilidae: the orders Octopoda (octopuses) and Decapoda (squids and cuttlefish).
Syn. -- Dibranchiata, subclass ta, Dibranchia, subclass Dibranchia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &unr_; gills. ] (Zool.) An order of cephalopods which includes those with two gills, an apparatus for emitting an inky fluid, and either eight or ten cephalic arms bearing suckers or hooks, as the octopi and squids. See Cephalopoda. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Having two gills. -- n. One of the Dibranchiata. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Branch, v. ] To divest of a branch or branches; to tear off. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]