▪ I. brandish, v.
(ˈbrændɪʃ)
Forms: 4–5 braundis-, ise(n, -ish, -issh, -ysch, -ische, 5 brawndesche, branych (Cath. Angl.), 4–6 brandiss, -issh, -isch, 6 Sc. brandeis, 5– brandish.
[a. Fr. brandiss- lengthened stem of Fr. brandir, a common Romanic word (L. type *brandīre), f. Teut. brand, a sword.]
1. trans. To flourish, wave about (a sword, spear, dart, club, or other manual weapon) by way of threat or display, or in preparation for action.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter vii. 13 He sal braundis his swerd. 1382 Wyclif Ps. vii. 13 But ȝee shal ben convertid, his swerd he shal braundishen. 1475 Caxton Jason 15 b, [They] brandished their speris and escried their enemyes. 1583 Stanyhurst æneis ii. (Arb.) 54 They brandish weapons sharp edgde. 1611 Bible Ezek. xxxii. 10, I shall brandish my sword before them. 1727 Swift Gulliver ii. vii. 161 Draw their swords at once, and brandish them in the air. 1824 Dibdin Libr. Comp. 726 You may brandish your mother of pearl paper-cutter. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 488 A great crowd..of young peasants, brandishing their cudgels. 1874 Boutell Arms & Arm. ii. 40. |
b. fig.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. A. 346 Þoȝ þou daunce as any do, Braundysch & bray þy braþez breme. 1648 Milton Tenure Kings (1650) 3 Lawes which they so impotently brandish against others. 1697 Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. ii. (1709) 152 They love to be always brandishing their Advantage. a 1764 Lloyd Fam. Let. Rhimes Wks. 1774 II. 78 Your eyes that brandish burning darts. 1867 J. Martineau Chr. Life (ed. 4) 370 Brandishing the threat of infliction. |
c. To flourish about, move vigorously (the limbs, the head, etc.); also used of a snake darting out its tongue, of a lion flourishing its tail, etc. Somewhat arch., if not obs.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. (Roxb.) 117 The knight þan braundisshid yche a bone. 1610 G. Fletcher Christ's Vict. (1632) 22 And every one brandisht his fiery tongue. 1834 Pringle Afr. Sk. viii. 260 He was now beginning to..brandish his tail. |
2. absol. To flourish one's weapons or limbs; to make a flourish or display; to swagger.
| c 1340 Alisaunder 1122 That hee nas loose in no lime..To byte, ne to braundise. c 1350 Will. Palerne 2321 Breme burnes..Brandissende wiþ gret bost. c 1430 How Gd. Wyf taugt Dau. in Babees Bk. (1868) 39 Braundische not with þin heed. c 1505 Dunbar Dance 33 He brandeist lyk a beir. 1533 Bellenden Livy iv. (1822) 338 Brandisand throw the army. |
3. intr. (for refl.) Of a sword, = To be brandished.
| a 1649 Drummond of Hawthornden Hist. Scot. (1655) 2 Your Swords..should brandish to set him on his Royall throne. 1800 Scott Lady of L. vi. xviii. |
† 4. trans. Of the sun or other luminary: To dart forth, scatter (rays of light); also (rarely) to irradiate, render luminous. Obs.
| 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. iv. (1641) 108/1 His brows seem brandisht with a Sun-like fire. 1653 H. More Conject. Cabbal. (1713) 215 This light of Righteousness..may not brandish its rays in the empty field. 1656 Blount Glossogr., Brandish, to make to..glister with gentle shaking or moving. |
† b. intr. To glitter, gleam, flash, coruscate.
| 1552 Huloet, Brandysh, or glytter, lyke a sworde, corusco. 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. iv. (1641) 109/1 Thine eyes already (now no longer eyes; But new bright stars) do brandish in the skyes. Ibid. (1608) 78 Orion, Eridanus, the Whale..Through Heavens bright arches brandish up and down. [1884 Stevenson New Arab. Nts. 237 A branch of flame shot brandishing through the aperture.] |
▪ II. ˈbrandish, n.
[f. prec.]
An act of brandishing; a flourish or wave (of a weapon).
| 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. v. x, I can wound with a Brandish. 1709 Addison Tatler No. 157 ¶11 Tosses of the Head, and Brandishes of the Fan. 1816 Byron Siege Cor. xxii, The reply was the brandish of sabre and spear. |
▪ III. † ˈbrandish, a. Obs. rare.
[f. brandy + -ish1.]
Of the quality of, or resembling brandy.
| 1683 Tryon Way to Health 560 A strong sulpherous brandish Spirit, that has no other operation than common Brandy or Spirit of Wine. |