Brandishing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of shaking or waving a weapon in a threatening or showy manner
2. Moving a weapon back and forth to intimidate or draw attention
3. Holding up a weapon in a bold or aggressive way to display power or cause fear

Etymology: The sword in "brandishing" is named after fire. Its root is a Proto-Germanic word, "brandaz," meaning fire, flame, or sword, which also gave Old English "brand," a firebrand or torch. Waving a blazing torch and waving a blade shared the same flash of light, and the Germanic word covered both. The verb came into English in Middle English as "braundischen," borrowed from Old French "brandir," meaning to flourish a sword. Old French took it from a Frankish form, "brandijan," built on the Frankish "brand" for sword. The English word "brand" in its plain sense of a burning stick survives alongside the weapon sense, which is why "brandishing" still carries a glint of metal.

Synonyms: waving, flourishing, swinging, displaying, exhibiting

Antonyms: concealing, hiding, withholding, covering, suppressing