birch

²birch

verb

Definition of BIRCH

transitive verb

: to beat with or as if with a birch : whip

Examples of BIRCH

1. <students at the private school were once routinely birched for violating the rules>
2. <always a stern disciplinarian, our father birched anyone who talked back>

First Known Use of BIRCH

1830

Related to BIRCH

Synonyms: whip, cowhide, flagellate, flail, flog, hide, horsewhip, lash, leather, rawhide, scourge, slash, switch, tan, thrash, whale

Related Words: knout, quirt, strap; cut; flick, touch up; blackjack, cane, club, cudgel, fustigate; pistol-whip; bang, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clout, crack, cuff, hit, knock, lam, paste, punch, slap, slug, smack, smite, sock, spank, swat, swipe, thwack, wallop, whack; bash, baste, bat, batter, beat, belabor, belt, bludgeon, buffet, bung, drub, fib [British], hammer, lace, lambaste (or lambast), lather, lick, mangle, maul, paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel, rough, slate, slog, thresh, thump, tromp, whop (or whap), whup, work over

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