brandish
To move or swing a weapon back and forth, particularly if demonstrating anger, threat…To move or swing a weapon back and forth, particularly if demonstrating anger, threat or skill.
» Tom brandished a shotgun on Mary.
Meaning
2 senses(transitive)To move or swing a weapon back and forth, particularly if demonstrating anger, threat or skill.
He brandished his sword at the pirates.
schwingen, schwenken, hantieren
маха́тьmaxátʹ, разма́хиватьrazmáxivatʹ, потряса́тьpotrjasátʹ
маха́тиmaxáty, розма́хуватиrozmáxuvaty
move or swing back and forth
(transitive)To bear something with ostentatious show.
to brandish syllogisms
vorzeigen, ausstellen, vorführen
хва́статьсяxvástatʹsja, выставля́ть напока́зvystavljátʹ napokáz
Examples
8 sentencesTom brandished a shotgun on Mary.
The ogre brandished a crude cudgel.
He brandished the knife at me.
While she was screaming, she brandished the knife.
She shouted and threatened a policeman by brandishing a knife.
deSie schrie und bedrohte einen Polizisten mit einem gezückten Messer.
Translations
7 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 2
By meaning 2
Origin
From Middle English braundischen, from Old French brandiss-, stem of brandir (“to flourishFrom Middle English braundischen, from Old French brandiss-, stem of brandir (“to flourish a sword”), from Frankish *brandijan, from Frankish *brand (“firebrand; sword”), from Proto-Germanic *brandaz (“fire; flame; sword”), whence Old English brand (“firebrand; torch”); equivalent to brand + -ish. More at brand.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
brandishes, brandishing, brandished, brandished| Base form | brandish · to brandish |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | brandishes |
| Present participle | brandishing |
| Past simple | brandished |
| Past participle | brandished |
regular · Lesson
Synonyms
2 synonymsWord family
3 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle