The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Branch \Branch\, v. t.
   1. To divide as into branches; to make subordinate division
      in.
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   2. To adorn with needlework representing branches, flowers,
      or twigs.
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            The train whereof loose far behind her strayed,
            Branched with gold and pearl, most richly wrought.
                                                  --Spenser.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Branch \Branch\, n.; pl. Branches. [OE. braunche, F. branche,
   fr. LL. branca claw of a bird or beast of prey; cf. Armor.
   brank branch, bough.]
   1. (Bot.) A shoot or secondary stem growing from the main
      stem, or from a principal limb or bough of a tree or other
      plant.
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   2. Any division extending like a branch; any arm or part
      connected with the main body of thing; ramification; as,
      the branch of an antler; the branch of a chandelier; a
      branch of a river; a branch of a railway.
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            Most of the branches, or streams, were dried up.
                                                  --W. Irving.
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   3. Any member or part of a body or system; a distinct
      article; a section or subdivision; a department. "Branches
      of knowledge." --Prescott.
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            It is a branch and parcel of mine oath. --Shak.
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   4. (Geom.) One of the portions of a curve that extends
      outwards to an indefinitely great distance; as, the
      branches of an hyperbola.
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   5. A line of family descent, in distinction from some other
      line or lines from the same stock; any descendant in such
      a line; as, the English branch of a family.
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            His father, a younger branch of the ancient stock.
                                                  --Carew.
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   6. (Naut.) A warrant or commission given to a pilot,
      authorizing him to pilot vessels in certain waters.
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   Branches of a bridle, two pieces of bent iron, which bear
      the bit, the cross chains, and the curb.

   Branch herring. See Alewife.

   Root and branch, totally, wholly.
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   Syn: Bough; limb; shoot; offshoot; twig; sprig.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Branch \Branch\, a.
   Diverging from, or tributary to, a main stock, line, way,
   theme, etc.; as, a branch vein; a branch road or line; a
   branch topic; a branch store.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Branch \Branch\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Branched; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Branching.]
   1. To shoot or spread in branches; to separate into branches;
      to ramify.
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   2. To divide into separate parts or subdivision.
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   To branch off, to form a branch or a separate part; to
      diverge.

   To branch out, to speak diffusively; to extend one's
      discourse to other topics than the main one; also, to
      enlarge the scope of one's business, etc.
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            To branch out into a long disputation. --Spectator.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

branch
    n 1: a division of some larger or more complex organization; "a
         branch of Congress"; "botany is a branch of biology"; "the
         Germanic branch of Indo-European languages" [syn: branch,
         subdivision, arm]
    2: a division of a stem, or secondary stem arising from the main
       stem of a plant
    3: a part of a forked or branching shape; "he broke off one of
       the branches" [syn: branch, leg, ramification]
    4: a natural consequence of development [syn: outgrowth,
       branch, offshoot, offset]
    5: a stream or river connected to a larger one
    6: any projection that is thought to resemble a human arm; "the
       arm of the record player"; "an arm of the sea"; "a branch of
       the sewer" [syn: arm, branch, limb]
    v 1: grow and send out branches or branch-like structures;
         "these plants ramify early and get to be very large" [syn:
         ramify, branch]
    2: divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork; "The
       road forks" [syn: branch, ramify, fork, furcate,
       separate]

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 January 2023):

branch

   1.  An edge in a tree.

   2.  A jump.