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. Wijf tauȝte hir Douȝtir, 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. Drumm. of Hawth., 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.]
