branched
branched — verb
- branchedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- brancheds3rd person singular
- branchedding-ing form
- brancheddedpast simple
1. to send out new stems from the main trunk or stem of a plant
to send out new stems from the main trunk or stem of a plant
The old oak tree behind the school branched out in every direction, shading the whole playground.
intransitive with 'out': branch out + direction
After the first spring rain, the young rose bush started to branch from the main stem.
The gardener was happy to see the cherry tree branching freely after the winter.
Camille pruned the rose bush, and the main stem branched into several new shoots.
- prune
to cut back branches, the opposite action
文法句型
branch + out
branch + from + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'out' to suggest the branches spreading in multiple directions. Often used in descriptions of plant growth in spring.
常見錯誤
2. to divide away from a main route, path, or direction, forming a separate part
to divide away from a main route, path, or direction, forming a separate part
A narrow dirt path branched off from the main hiking trail and led down toward the river.
branch off from + route
The highway branched into two separate roads just past the old train station.
branch into + parts
Several smaller streams branched from the large river during the rainy season.
The main gas pipe branched near the kitchen wall, sending one line to the stove and another to the heater.
After the meeting, the discussion branched into several smaller group conversations.
文法句型
branch + off + from + noun
branch + into + plural noun
用法筆記
Common with 'off' when describing the point of separation from the main route, and 'into' when listing the resulting divisions. Also used metaphorically for conversations, projects, or topics.
常見錯誤
branched — noun
1. a part or division of a larger subject, group, family, or system
a part or division of a larger subject, group, family, or system
Linguistics is a branch of the humanities that studies how human languages work.
branch of [field]: part of an academic subject
The younger branch of the Watanabe family moved to Canada in the 1990s.
Biochemistry is a growing branch of science that combines biology and chemistry.
The executive branch of the government is responsible for putting laws into action.
文法句型
a branch of + noun
用法筆記
Subject is often an academic field, a family lineage, or a structural division of a larger system. Cannot be used for physical parts of objects.
2. a local office, shop, or division that belongs to a larger company or organizati
a local office, shop, or division that belongs to a larger company or organization
The bank has its main office in Taipei and branches in every major city across the island.
Kevin works at the downtown branch of the public library, helping people find books every day.
branch of [organization]
The local branch of the charity organization runs food drives every winter for families in need.
Adisa opened a new branch of his restaurant chain in the shopping district last month.
- office
more general; a branch can be an office but not all offices are branches
- outlet
for retail stores specifically, more informal
- subsidiary
formal; a separate legal entity owned by a parent company
- headquarters
the main central office, opposite of a local branch
文法句型
local branch
main branch
bank branch
用法筆記
Subject is typically an organization (bank, library, store, company, charity). 'Main branch' refers to the headquarters; 'local branch' is a smaller outpost.
常見錯誤
3. a woody part that extends outward from the main stem of a tree and produces the
a woody part that extends outward from the main stem of a tree and produces the tree's foliage, blossoms, and seeds
During the storm, a large branch of the maple tree snapped and fell onto the parked car.
The children hung a rope swing from the lowest branch of the old apple tree in the yard.
concrete physical use: hang from a branch
Sayaka climbed onto a thick branch of the banyan tree and sat reading her book in the shade.
The gardener cut off the dead branches so the tree could grow more healthily in spring.
Birds built a small nest in a high branch of the cherry tree near the kitchen window.
文法句型
tree branch
on a branch
branch of a tree
常見錯誤
4. a section of a river, road, or railway line that splits away from the main route
a section of a river, road, or railway line that splits away from the main route
A small branch of the river flows through the village and provides water for the rice fields.
river branch: natural water channel
The main road divides into two branches just north of the train station.
The left branch of the hiking trail leads to a hidden lake that few people know about.
A railway branch carries goods from the port directly to the factory outside the city.
- main route
the primary road or river from which branches depart
文法句型
branch of + river/road
river branch
road branch
用法筆記
For roads and paths, 'fork' can sometimes replace 'branch'. For rivers, 'tributary' is the technical term, but 'branch' is more common in everyday speech.
5. a subdivision that branches away from a main vein, artery, or nerve to supply ne
a subdivision that branches away from a main vein, artery, or nerve to supply nearby body tissues
The surgeon carefully identified each branch of the artery before making the first cut.
medical domain: branch of artery
A tiny nerve branch runs from the main spinal nerve down to the muscles of the left hand.
The doctor explained that a blocked branch of the vein could cause swelling in the lower leg.
An X-ray showed that one of the smaller branches of the lung's airway was inflamed.
- ramification
formal technical term for the branching structure of nerves or vessels
- offshoot
less formal, also used outside medicine
文法句型
branch of + artery/nerve/vein
用法筆記
This sense is most common in medical or biological writing. In everyday conversation, 'blood vessel' or 'nerve' alone is more natural.