Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To cut or break a branch from (a tree).
  • transitive verb To remove (a limb or branch) from a tree.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To cut off or separate the branches of, as a tree; prune.
  • To sever or remove, as a branch or an offshoot.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To divest of a branch or branches; to tear off.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To divest of a branch or branches; to tear off.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

dis- +‎ branch

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Examples

  • [These are the mysteries of day and night, that Lear, in his ignorance, vainly invokes, the operations of the orbs from _whom we do exist and cease to be_.] 'She that herself will _sliver_ and _disbranch_

    The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere Unfolded Delia Bacon 1835

  • I have made in a tree almost as big more as my waste; but then you must totally disbranch him, leaving only the summit intire; and being careful to take him up with as much earth as you can, refresh him with abundance of water.

    Sylva, Vol. 1 (of 2) Or A Discourse of Forest Trees John Evelyn 1663

  • Winters, provided you never clip or disbranch them) plant of the reputed male-sort; it is a tree which will prosper wonderfully; and where the ground is hot and gravelly, though (as we said) he be nothing so beautiful; and it is of this, that the Venetians make their greatest profit.

    Sylva, Vol. 1 (of 2) Or A Discourse of Forest Trees John Evelyn 1663

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