Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Branch \Branch\, 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.

   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.

            Most of the branches, or streams, were dried up.
                                                  --W. Irving.

   3. Any member or part of a body or system; a distinct
      article; a section or subdivision; a department.
      ``Branches of knowledge.'' --Prescott.

            It is a branch and parcel of mine oath. --Shak.

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

   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.

            His father, a younger branch of the ancient stock.
                                                  --Carew.

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

   {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.

   Syn: Bough; limb; shoot; offshoot; twig; sprig.

Branch \Branch\, v. t.
   1. To divide as into branches; to make subordinate division
      in.

   2. To adorn with needlework representing branches, flowers,
      or twigs.

            The train whereof loose far behind her strayed,
            Branched with gold and pearl, most richly wrought.
                                                  --Spenser.

Branch \Branch\, 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.

Branch \Branch\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Branched}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Branching}.]
   1. To shoot or spread in branches; to separate into branches;
      to ramify.

   2. To divide into separate parts or subdivision.

   {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.

            To branch out into a long disputation. --Spectator.

Source : WordNet®

branch
     n 1: an administrative division of some larger or more complex
          organization; "a branch of Congress" [syn: {subdivision},
           {arm}]
     2: a division of a stem, or secondary stem arising from the
        main stem of a plant
     3: a part of a forked or branching shape; "he broke off one of
        the branches"; "they took the south fork" [syn: {fork}, {leg},
         {ramification}]
     4: a natural consequence of development [syn: {outgrowth}, {offshoot},
         {offset}]
     5: a stream or river connected to a larger one
     6: any projection that is thought to resemble an arm; "the arm
        of the record player"; "an arm of the sea"; "a branch of
        the sewer" [syn: {arm}, {limb}]

branch
     v 1: grow and send out branches or branch-like structures; "these
          plants ramify early and get to be very large" [syn: {ramify}]
     2: divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork; "The
        road forks" [syn: {ramify}, {fork}, {furcate}, {separate}]

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

branch
     
        1.  An {edge} in a {tree}.
     
        2.  A {jump}.
     
        (1998-11-14)