birchとは

意味・読み方・使い方

語源

From Middle English birche, birk, from 古期英語 birċe, bierċe, from Proto-West Germanic *birkijā, from Proto-Germanic *birkijǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerHǵos.

発音

• (General American) enPR: bû(r)ch, IPA^(key): /bɝt͡ʃ/
• (Received 発音) enPR: bû(r)ch, IPA^(key): /bɜːtʃ/
• 韻: -ɜː(ɹ)tʃ

名詞

birch (countable かつ uncountable, 複数形 birches)

1. Any of various trees of the genus Betula, native to countries in the Northern Hemisphere.
2. A hard wood taken from the birch tree, typically used to make furniture.
3. A stick, rod or bundle of twigs made from birch wood, used for punishment.
4. A birch-bark canoe.

同意語

• (stick, rod または bundle of twigs): makepeace, switch

派生語

動詞

birch (三人称単数 現在形 birches, 現在分詞 birching, 過去形および過去分詞形 birched)

1. To punish with a stick, bundle of twigs, or rod made of birch wood.
2. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) To punish as though one were using a stick, bundle of twigs, or rod made of birch wood.
   • 1902, M. M. Read, “The Midnight Feast”, in The Boy's Own Annual, volume 25, page 63:

     That the morrow would see us arraigned 'fore the Head / And probably birched with a willow

   • 2012, Charles J. Esdaile, Outpost of Empire: The Napoleonic Occupation of Andalucia, 1810-1812, page 319:

     […] and was tied to a tree and soundly birched with a bundle of furze

   • 2013, Hugh Thomas, Conquest: Cortes, Montezuma, and the Fall of Old Mexico, page 292:

     The Mexica were always washing, in water obtained through the aqueduct, or in the lake, and would often go to the popular baths in the numerous stone steam houses (where birching, with grasses, または massage was also available).

派生語

• bircher