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birch

birch [ burch ]


noun  (plural birch·es)
Definition:
 
1. tall tree with peeling bark: a tall slender tree with papery, peeling bark. Native to: northern hemisphere.  Genus Betula.

2. wood of birch: the pale wood of the birch tree

3. rod for flogging somebody: a birch rod or bundle of twigs, formerly used to beat people as a punishment



transitive verb  (past and past participle birched, present participle birch·ing, 3rd person present singular birch·es)
Definition:
 
punish somebody by beating: to beat somebody with a birch rod as a punishment

[ Old English birce< Indo-European]
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