BIRCHES
Noun
birches
plural of birch
Verb
birches
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of birch
Proper noun
Birches
plural of Birch
Source: Wiktionary
BIRCH
Birch, n.; pl. Birches. Etym: [OE. birche, birk, AS. birce, beorc;
akin to Icel. björk, Sw. björk, Dan. birk, D. berk, OHG. piricha,
MHG. birche, birke, G. birke, Russ. bereza, Pol. brzoza, Serv. breza,
Skr. bh. sq. root254. Cf. 1st Birk.]
1. A tree of several species, constituting the genus Betula; as, the
white or common birch (B. alba) (also called silver birch and lady
birch); the dwarf birch (B. glandulosa); the paper or canoe birch (B.
papyracea); the yellow birch (B. lutea); the black or cherry birch
(B. lenta).
2. The wood or timber of the birch.
3. A birch twig or birch twigs, used for flogging.
Note: The twigs of the common European birch (B. alba), being tough
and slender, were formerly much used for rods in schools. They were
also made into brooms.
The threatening twigs of birch. Shak.
4. A birch-bark canoe. Birch of Jamaica, a species (Bursera
gummifera) of turpentine tree.
– Birch partridge. (Zoöl.) See Ruffed grouse.
– Birch wine, wine made of the spring sap of the birch.
– Oil of birch. (a) An oil obtained from the bark of the common
European birch (Betula alba), and used in the preparation of genuine
( and sometimes of the imitation) Russia leather, to which it gives
its peculiar odor. (b) An oil prepared from the black birch (B.
lenta), said to be identical with the oil of wintergreen, for which
it is largely sold.
Birch, a.
Definition: Of or pertaining to the birch; birchen.
Birch, v. t. [imp & p. p. Birched; p. pr. & vb. n. Birching.]
Definition: To whip with a birch rod or twig; to flog.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition