brandish
/ˈbɹændɪʃ/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 2.20 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To move or swing a weapon back and forth, particularly if demonstrating anger, threat or skill.
Transitive verb
noun
The act of flourishing or waving.
Example Sentences
- "He brandished his sword at the pirates."
- "Hvng be yͤ heauens vvith black, yield day to night; / Comets importing change of Times and States, / Brandiſh your cryſtall Treſſes in the Skie, / And vvith them ſcourge the bad reuolting Stars, / That haue conſented vnto Henries Death: / King Henry the Fift, too famous to liue long, / England ne're loſt a King of ſo much vvorth."
- "the quivering lance which he brandished bright"
- "Back, he spurred like a madman, shouting a curse to the sky, / With the white road smoking behind him, and his rapier brandished high! / Blood-red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat; […]"
- "to brandish syllogisms"
- "Long, however, the young ſpark did not remain, before, giving it [his penis] two or three ſhakes, by way of brandiſhing it, he threw himſelf upon her, […]"
Etymology
From Middle English braundischen, from Old French brandiss-, stem of brandir (“to flourish a sword”), from Frankish *brandijan, from Frankish *brand (“firebrand; sword”), from Proto-Germanic *brandaz (“fire; flame; sword”), whence Old English brand (“firebrand; torch”); equivalent to brand + -ish. More at brand.