• IPA: /bɹand/

brand (plural brands)

1. (obsolete, rare) A conflagration; a flame.

   • Goe to prepare the maryages what neede the torchis light? be holde the towres of troy do shyne with brandes that blase full bright.

   • Is yet againe thy brest enflamde, / with brande of venus might

2. (archaic or poetic) A piece of burning wood or peat, or a glowing cinder.

   To burn something to brands and ashes.

   • The fearful brands and blazes of hot fire.

   • Snatching a live brand from a wigwam, Mason threw it on a matted roof.

   • The brands of one of their fires were still smoking.

   • Or when amid the Grecians shippes, / he threw the brandes of fyre.

3. (Scotland, Northern England) A torch used for signaling.
4. (archaic) A sword.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book 10”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗:

     Paradise, so late their happy seat, / Waved over by that flaming brand.

   • ?, Alfred Tennyson, Sir Galahad

     The shattering trumpet shrilleth high, / The hard brands shiver on the steel, / The splinter'd spear-shafts crack and fly, / The horse and rider reel

5. A mark or scar made by burning with a hot iron, especially to mark cattle or to classify the contents of a cask.
6. A branding iron.
7. The symbolic identity, represented by a name and/or a logo, which indicates a certain product or service to the public.
8. A specific product, service, or provider so distinguished.

   Some brands of breakfast cereal contain a lot of sugar.

9. (by extension) Any specific type or variety of something; a distinct style or manner.

   I didn't appreciate his particular brand of flattery.

   New Orleans brand sausage

10. The public image or reputation and recognized, typical style of an individual or group.
    • 2011, Tom Bevan, Carl M. Cannon, Election 2012: The Battle Begins, Crown (ISBN 9780307986627)

      The Obama brand had taken a hit two months earlier, when he campaigned for Creigh Deeds in Virginia and Jon Corzine in New Jersey, only to see them both lose.

    • 2012, Start Your Own Personal Concierge Service, Entrepreneur Press (ISBN 9781613081648), page 104:

      Her brand is edgy, cosmopolitan, and out-of-the-box, so blogging is the perfect, ever-changing match for her.

    • 2019, Sally Thorne, 99 Percent Mine: A Novel, HarperCollins (ISBN 9780062439628):

      He unplugged my umbilical cord to take a leisurely swig, smirking, watching me turn blue before giving it back. My cardiologist told me that was impossible, but I' m still convinced. That's very on-brand for [my twin] Jamie.

11. A mark of infamy; stigma.
12. Any minute fungus producing a burnt appearance in plants.

• (distinguishing name, symbol or logo) trademark, logo, brand name, marque, tradename, proprietary name
• (reputation) repute, name, good name

• French: tison
• Russian: головня́
• Spanish: tizón

• French: marque
• German: Brandzeichen, Brandmal, Zuchtbrand
• Italian: marchio a fuoco
• Portuguese: marca a fogo
• Russian: клеймо́

• French: marque
• German: Marke, Label
• Italian: marca
• Portuguese: marca
• Russian: ма́рка
• Spanish: marca

• French: marque
• German: Marke
• Italian: marca
• Portuguese: marca
• Russian: ма́рка
• Spanish: marca

• French: style
• Russian: вид

brand (brands, present participle branding; past and past participle branded)

1. (transitive) To burn the flesh with a hot iron, either as a marker (for criminals, slaves etc.) or to cauterise a wound.

   When they caught him, he was branded and then locked up.

2. (transitive) To mark (especially cattle) with a brand as proof of ownership.

   The ranch hands had to brand every new calf by lunchtime.

3. (transitive) To make an indelible impression on the memory or senses.

   Her face is branded upon my memory.

4. (transitive) To stigmatize, label (someone).

   He was branded a fool by everyone that heard his story.

   • 1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter II, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 731476803 ↗:

     I had never defrauded a man of a farthing, nor called him knave behind his back. But now the last rag that covered my nakedness had been torn from me. I was branded a blackleg, card-sharper, and murderer.

5. (transitive, marketing) To associate a product or service with a trademark or other name and related images.

   They branded the new detergent "Suds-O", with a nature scene inside a green O on the muted-colored recycled-cardboard box.

• French: flétrir
• Russian: клейми́ть

• French: marquer
• Russian: клейми́ть

• French: graver

• French: cataloguer, flétrir
• Spanish: tildar, tachar

• brand new
• rebrand