Word: brandish (verb)

Associations

"Brandish" means to wave or shake something, usually a weapon, in a way that is meant to be seen by others, often to threaten or show power.

• He brandished a sword during the performance. (Showing the sword to create drama.)
• The protester brandished a sign to get attention. (Waving the sign to be seen.)
• She brandished her phone to take a picture. (Holding it up visibly.) A similar word is "wave," but "brandish" often means showing something with force or threat, especially weapons, while "wave" is more casual and friendly.

Substitution

You can use:

• wave (more casual, friendly)
• shake (focus on movement)
• flaunt (show off, more about pride)
• wield (hold and use a weapon, but less about showing it) Example: He waved the flag (friendly), but he brandished the knife (threatening).

Deconstruction

"Brandish" comes from Old French "brandir," meaning "to flourish a sword."

• Root: "brand" means a sword or burning piece of wood.
• The suffix "-ish" here is part of the verb form. So it originally meant to wave a sword or weapon.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when someone might brandish something other than a weapon?
• How would the meaning change if you said "wave" instead of "brandish"?
• Have you ever seen a movie scene where a character brandishes a weapon? What feeling did it create?