BIRCH

I. noun see: bright Date: before 12th century any of a genus ( Betula of the family Betulaceae, the ~ family) of monoecious deciduous usually short-lived trees or shrubs having simple petioled leaves and typically a layered membranous outer bark that peels readily, the hard pale close-grained wood of a ~, a ~ rod or bundle of twigs for flogging, ~ or ~en adjective II. transitive verb Date: 1830 to beat with or as if with a ~ ; whip