branch
n
1 arm-like division of a tree, growing from the trunk or from a bough 樹枝
He climbed up the tree and hid among the branches. 他爬上樹, 藏在樹枝後面. =>illus at App 1 見附錄1之插圖, page i.
2 similar division of a river, road, railway or mountain range (河流、公路、鐵路或山脈的)類似分支
a branch of the Rhine 萊茵河的支流
[attrib 作定語]
a branch line, ie a division of a main railway line, serving country areas 支線(鐵路干線通往鄉村的分支).
3 subdivision of a family, a subject of knowledge, or a group of languages (家族的)分支; (知識的)分科; (語言的)分系
His uncle's branch of the family emigrated to Australia. 他的家族中叔父這一支系已移居澳大利亞.
Gynaecology is a branch of medicine. 婦科學是醫學的一個分科.
4 local office or shop belonging to a large firm or organization (屬於某大公司或機構的)地方辦事處或分店
The bank has branches in all parts of the country. 該銀行在全國各地設有分行.
[attrib 作定語]
a branch post office 郵局的分局.
5 (idm 習語) root and branch => root1. branch, v [I]
1 (of a tree) send out or divide into branches (指樹)長出枝, 分出枝杈.
2 (of a road) divide into branches (指道路)分岔
The road branches after the level-crossing. 這條路在經過平面交叉道口後岔開了.
3 (phr v) branch `off (of a vehicle or road) turn from one road into a (usu) smaller one (指車輛或大路)轉入或轉為(通常為)小路
The car in front of us suddenly branched off to the left. 我們前面的那輛汽車突然轉入左邊的小路上去了.
The road to the village branches off on the right. 通往該村的道路向右轉為一條小路. branch `out (into sth) extend or expand one's activities or interests in a new direction 向新的方向擴展自己的活動或興趣
The company began by specializing in radios but has now decided to branch out into computers. 該公司開始時專營無線電器材, 現在已決定擴展業務經營計算機了.
She's leaving the company to branch out on her own. 她打算脫離這家公司, 自己開業.