Birch

Etymology
From birce, bierce, beorc; cognate with West Frisian bjirk, Dutch berk, German Birke, Danish birk, Swedish björk, Norwegian bjerk.

Noun

 * 1) any of various trees of the genus Betula, native to countries in the northern hemisphere.
 * 2) a hard wood taken from the birch tree, typically used to make furniture.
 * 3) a stick, rod or bundle of twigs made from birch wood, used for punishment.

Verb

 * 1) to punish with a stick, bundle of twigs, or rod made of birch wood.
 * 2) to punish as though one were using a stick, bundle of twigs, or rod made of birch wood.

Derived terms

 * birchen
 * birch wood