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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Branch, Brawnch(e, Brench, n. Also: bransche, -sh, braunche; brainch, breanch; brance, branse. [ME. branch(e, brance (c 1300), OF. branche.]

1. A branch or bough of a tree.(a) 1375 Barb. xvi. 67.
Quhen … lewis on the branchis spredis ?1438 Alex. ii. Prol. 9.
Quhen … burgeons of thare brancheis bredis 1456 Hay I. 39/33.
A branch of ane olyve tree c1450-2 Howlat 16.
All the brayis … bair branchis abuf Ib. 399.
Ane grene tre … That bure branchis on breid a1500 Seven S. 333.
The branchis lattis it to get aire 1513 Doug. iii. i. 48.
With burgyonys and with branchis Ib. vii. Prol. 133.
Branchis bratlyng c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1485.
Off ane olyue scho brak ane branche 1551 Hamilton Cat. 82.
A stark brance of ane aik tree a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxxix. 15.
Quhais bark and branchis schynes … cleir 1643 Haddington Corr. 314.
A bransh of lawrell(b) c1420 Wynt. i. 419.
A brawnche … of greyne olywe c1450-2 Howlat 607.
Ilk braunche and beugh bowit thaim till(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvi. 6 (B).
A blisful brenche of lawryr grene a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxviii. 20.
The turtil trew … on the dry brainche 1602 Colville Parænese 102.
Ane brench sned of his tree 1662 Crim. Trials III. 611.
We … will sitt wpon brenches of treis

b. In figurative uses. 1535 Stewart 16764.
Thocht this tirrane … Be deid him self, his breanchis growis grene 1549 Compl. 1/6.
Branchis ande tendir leyuis of vertu c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 407.
Of Christ to be a branche 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 44.
To … clym up be thair branches to hiear degre

c. A branch of a river. 1641 Acts V. 484/1.
The … wateres of Spay, Findorne and Nairne and brenches thairof

2. A branch or division of a family, clan, etc. c1420 Wynt. viii. 142; Ib. 1460.
The nerrast male In thai brawnchys collateralle 1495 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 596.
For ws & … oure barnis, kin, frendis, … & smal branchis of kin 1520 Thanes of Cawdor 134.
All the brance of the Clandonyll 1560 Montgomery Mem. 156.
The four brancheis of the saidis wmquhill Schir Neil c 1560 Stirlings of Keir 414.
The Laird of Garwok, Grahame, quhairof ar cvmit mony guid branses 1569 Reg. Privy C. II. 43.
Lancie Elliot is enterit plege … for himself, his branche, men, tenantis and servandis 1574 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 38.
Gif … ony of the foirsaidis foure brencheis persew the said Robert, Lord Boyd [etc.] 1575 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 44.
The said vmquhile Ninianes slauchter of his brancheis 1591 Colquhoun Chart. II. 113.
I, the said Awlay, as brenche of his hous [etc.] 1592 Reg. Privy C. IV, 797.
Cheiffis and chiftanis of all clannis and principallis of all bransches of the saidis clannis

3. A subdivision (of a concept, etc.). 1456 Hay I. 82/5.
The … four vertues … with the branchis of thame Ib. II. 52/23.
All the vij vertues and thair branchis c1420 Ratis R. 722.
The dedly synis … With al thar branchis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 329/19.
The vij dedly synnis with braunchis and spycis of thaim

4. An addition or attachment to a scutcheon. 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 350.
For 30 scuchanis, 8 for the cofen … for 4 branches one both the sydes 1693 Seafield Corr. 125.
I have … sent him his scutchion and brenchis 1699 Wemyss Chart. MS.
Gilding 8 branches for the coffen 1700 Foulis Acc. Bk. 282.
Spent at ordering my sister Pittadroes scutcheon and branches