*ranch*

‖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 ]

v. t. [ F. affranchir; &unr_; (L. ad) + franc free. See Franchise and Frank. ] To make free; to enfranchise. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. affranchissement. ] The act of making free; enfranchisement. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]

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

Shaded with branching palm. Milton. [ 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 ]

‖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. the South American caracara.
Syn. -- Polyborus plancus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ Native name. ] (Zool.) The Brazilian kite (Polyborus Brasiliensis); -- so called in imitation of its notes. [ 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 ]

v. t. See Craunch. [ 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 ]