brandishing

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   Waving a weapon or an object in a threatening or excited way so that people notice it.

   Grammar: Takes an object: brandish a knife. It is not used without an object.

   Patterns

   • brandish a weapon
   • brandish something at someone
   • brandish something in the air

   The man was brandishing a knife at the crowd.

   She brandished the letter angrily in front of him.

   Protesters brandished signs and banners outside the building.

2. 2noununcountable

   The act of waving a weapon or object in a threatening or showy way.

   Grammar: Uncountable: it refers to the action, not a single item. It is less common than the verb.

   Patterns

   • the brandishing of a weapon
   • brandishing of something

   He was arrested for the brandishing of a firearm in public.

   The brandishing of a toy gun caused panic in the street.

Word forms

Common combinations

brandish a weapon

The guard brandished a weapon to scare them off.

brandish a knife

He was seen brandishing a knife near the station.

brandish something at someone

She brandished a stick at the dog.

brandish a gun

The robber brandished a gun and demanded money.

Synonyms and how they differ

wave

Wave is more general and can be friendly; brandish suggests a threat or a show of force.

flourish

Flourish means to wave something in a confident, showy way, often without threat.

wield

Wield means to hold and use a weapon or tool, but it does not necessarily involve waving it.

Word family

brandish verb

To wave a weapon or object in a threatening or excited way.

Commonly confused: brandishing or branding?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “brandishing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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