释义 |
▪ I. branching, vbl. n.|ˈbrɑːnʃɪŋ, -æ-| [f. branch v.] 1. The action of throwing out branches, or of diverging in the manner of branches; ramification; concr. a collection of branches. Also fig.
1578Banister Hist. Man v. 71 With diuers orders of braunchynges they embrace it. 1684T. Burnet Th. Earth I. 232 We have before compar'd the branchings of these rivers..to the ramifications of the arteries in the body. 1724Watts Logic 348 Finish your whole argument with as few inferior branchings as reason will admit. 1882Vines Sachs' Bot. 207 Dichotomous branching is frequently repeated in one and the same plane. 2. The action of decorating with flowers or foliage, in embroidery, gilding, engraving, etc.
1622Heylin Cosmogr. iii. (1673) 53/2 The branching of Satins..being amongst many others, one of their Inventions. ▪ II. ˈbranching, ppl. a. [f. as prec. + -ing2.] 1. That branches; that puts forth branches.
1382Wyclif Jer. xvii. 2 Ther braunching trees in heeȝe mounteynes. 1645Milton Arcades 86 Under the shady roof Of braunching elm. 1725Pope Odyss. xiii. 122 High at the head a branching Olive grows. 1842Tennyson Lady Clara Vere de Vere 27 Not thrice your branching limes have blown. 2. Spreading, ramifying, diverging; also, rambling, diffuse.
1720Pope Iliad xxi. 446 The branching streams. 1810Southey Kehama xviii. vii, In branching veins. 1864Burton Scot Abr. II. i. 128 The Burnets..were a branching family. 3. Bearing antlers, antlered.
1667Milton P.L. vii. 470 The swift Stag..Bore up his branching head. 1718Pope Iliad iii. 37 So joys a lion, if the branching deer..his bulky prize, appear. |