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Brand

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. 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. (Science: botany) Any minute fungus which produces a burnt appearance in plants. The brands are of many species and several genera of the order Pucciniaei.

Origin: oe. Brand, brond, as. Brand brond brand, sword, from byrnan, beornan, to burn; akin to D, dan, Sw, & g. Brand brand, Icel. Brandr a brand, blade of a sword. See burn, and cf. Brandish.