Brand — Defs

01 n. A burning piece of wood; or a stick or piece of wood partly burnt, whether burning or after the fire is extinct.

1.
A burning piece of wood; or a stick or piece of wood partly burnt, whether burning or after the fire is extinct.
“Snatching a live brand from a wigwam, Mason threw it on a matted roof.” — Palfrey.
2.
A sword, so called from its glittering or flashing brightness.[Poetic]
“Paradise, so late their happy seat, Waved over by that flaming brand.” — Milton.
3.
A mark made by burning with a hot iron, as upon a cask, to designate the quality, manufacturer, etc., of the contents, or upon an animal, to designate ownership; -- also, a mark for a similar purpose made in any other way, as with a stencil. Hence, figurately: Quality; kind; grade; as, a good brand of flour.
4.
A mark put upon criminals with a hot iron. Hence: Any mark of infamy or vice; a stigma.
“The brand of private vice.” — Channing.
5.
An instrument to brand with; a branding iron.
6.
Any minute fungus which produces a burnt appearance in plants. The brands are of many species and several genera of the order Pucciniæi.(Bot.)

02 v. t. To burn a distinctive mark into or upon with a hot iron, to indicate quality, ownership, etc., or to mark as infamous (as a convict).

imp. & p. p. Branded; p. pr. & vb. n. Branding

1.
To burn a distinctive mark into or upon with a hot iron, to indicate quality, ownership, etc., or to mark as infamous (as a convict).
2.
To put an actual distinctive mark upon in any other way, as with a stencil, to show quality of contents, name of manufacture, etc.
3.
Fig.: To fix a mark of infamy, or a stigma, upon.
“The Inquisition branded its victims with infamy.” — Prescott.

“There were the enormities, branded and condemned by the first and most natural verdict of common humanity.” — South.
4.
To mark or impress indelibly, as with a hot iron.
“As if it were branded on my mind.” — Geo. Eliot.