A branch (UK /ˈbrɑːntʃ/ or UK /ˈbræntʃ/, US /ˈbræntʃ/) or tree branch (sometimes referred to in botany as a ramus) is a woody structural member connected to but not part of the central trunk of a tree (or sometimes a shrub). Large branches are known as boughs and small branches are known as twigs.

While branches can be nearly horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, the majority of trees have upwardly diagonal branches.

The term "twig" often refers to a terminus, while "bough" refers only to branches coming directly from the trunk.

Because of the enormous quantity of branches in the world, there are a variety of names in English alone for them. In general however, unspecific words for a branch (such as rise and rame) have been replaced by the word branch itself.

A bough can also be called a limb or arm, and though these are arguably metaphors, both are widely accepted synonyms for bough.

A crotch is an area where a trunk splits into two or more boughs.

A twig is frequently referred to as a sprig as well, especially when it has been plucked. Other words for twig include branchlet, spray, and surcle, as well as the technical terms surculus and ramulus.

Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch (born July 2, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and actress. During the early 2000s, she released two top-selling albums, The Spirit Room and Hotel Paper, and was subsequently nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2003. In 2005, she formed the country music duo The Wreckers with friend and fellow musician Jessica Harp, and produced the Grammy-nominated single "Leave the Pieces". The Wreckers disbanded in 2007 to pursue their respective solo careers. She has had several commercially successful songs, most notably winning a Grammy with Santana for "The Game of Love".

Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch was born on July 2, 1983, in Phoenix, Arizona, to David and Peggy Branch, six months after they were married. Her father is of Irish descent, and her mother is of Dutch Indonesian and French descent. Her siblings include an older half-brother named David and a younger sister named Nicole.

Beginning to sing at the age of three, Branch enrolled in voice lessons at Northern Arizona University when she was eight, and received her first guitar for her fourteenth birthday. After teaching herself chords, she composed her first song "Fallen" within a week of receiving her guitar. She initially attended Sedona Red Rock High School, but finished the last two years of her high school education through home schooling so that she could focus on her music career. To support Branch's interests, her parents helped her book local gigs in Sedona, AZ, and later financed her independent album Broken Bracelet. Her set list at these gigs included covers by Sheryl Crow, Lisa Loeb, Jewel, and Fleetwood Mac.

John Alec "Johnnie" Jackson (born 15 August 1982) is an English footballer currently playing for Charlton Athletic. He usually plays as a left sided midfielder but can also play as a central midfielder or a left-back.

Jackson began his career at Tottenham Hotspur in 1999, signing professional terms in 2000; however he rarely broke into the first-team, scoring once in the league in a 4–2 win at Charlton Athletic in February 2004.

During his time at White Hart Lane he spent many seasons on loan at various lower league clubs, such as Swindon Town where he scored twice, once in the league against Northampton Town, and once in the Football League Trophy against Southend United. He also went on loan to Colchester United, whom he would later join on a permanent basis. Jackson earned admiration while on loan at Coventry City when he scored the last-minute winning goal against local rivals West Bromwich Albion.

In the summer of 2006 he was released by Tottenham. He was soon signed for free by Colchester, who were recently promoted to the Championship, and whom he had played for on loan in 2003. He scored his first goal for the club in February 2007, when Colchester lost 2–1 against West Brom. In the 2007/2008 season Johnnie won the clubs Player of the year award. During the 2008–09 season with Colchester United, Jackson did not play as many games as he first hoped with a back injury that was aggravated during the 1–1 draw against Milton Keynes Dons.

Felipe Andres Coronel (born February 19, 1978), better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is an American rapper of Afro-Peruvian descent as well as an urban activist. He was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics. The views expressed in his lyrics are largely commentary on issues such as class struggle, poverty, religion, government and institutional racism.

Immortal Technique has voiced a desire to retain control over his production, and has stated in his music that record companies, not artists themselves, profit the most from mass production and marketing of music. He claimed in an interview to have sold close to 200,000 copies of his three official releases.

Coronel is African-Peruvian and was born in 1978 in a military hospital in Lima. His family emigrated in 1980 to Harlem. During his teenage years he was arrested multiple times due in part to what he has said was "selfish and childish" behavior. He attended Hunter College High School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Shortly after enrolling in Pennsylvania State University, he was arrested and charged with assault-related offenses due to his involvement in an altercation between fellow students, the charges stemming from this incident led to him being incarcerated for a year. After being paroled, he took political science classes at Baruch College in New York City for two semesters at the behest of his father, who allowed Coronel to live with him on the condition that he go to school. Honing his rapping skills in jail, and unable to find decent wage-paying employment after his release, Coronel began selling his music on the streets of New York while battling with MCs whenever the opportunity arose. This, coupled with his victories in numerous freestyle rap competitions of the New York underground hip hop scene such as Rocksteady Anniversary, Braggin Rites and others, led to his reputation as a ferocious Battle MC.