Branch

A branch is a part of a woody plant such as a tree, shrub, or vine. Branch refers to any woody structural member that is not the central trunk or trunks and which supports the terminal twigs, which in turn support the leaves. Branches may be oriented in any direction from horizontally to vertically, but usually have bark similar to the upper trunk (whereas twigs often have markedly different bark).

The term branch is also often used figuratively:

1. In a computer program, a conditional jump or departure from the implicit or declared order in which instructions are being executed.
2. To select a branch, as in definition #1.
3. In software design, a separate line of development, known as a "branch". When you change files on a branch, those changes do not appear on the main trunk or other branches.
4. In graph theory, a direct path joining two nodes of a network or graph.
5. In a power distribution system, a circuit from a distribution device (power panel) of a lower power handling capability than that of the input circuits to the device.
6. Many places have Branch in their names:
   1. Branch, Arkansas
   2. Branch County, Michigan
   3. Branch Township, Michigan
   4. Branch Township, Pennsylvania
   5. various places named North Branch
   6. various places named South Branch
   7. various places named West Branch
   8. Drakes Branch, Virginia
   9. Fall Branch, Tennessee
   10. Farmers Branch, Texas
   11. Flowery Branch, Georgia
   12. Fort Branch, Indiana
   13. Hamilton Branch, California
   14. various places named Long Branch
   15. Plum Branch, South Carolina
   16. Village of the Branch, New York
   17. Wells Branch, Texas