Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Branding

BRANDING, an ancient mode of punishment by inflicting a mark on an offender with a hot iron. It is generally disused under the English civil law, but has been employed to punish deserters. It is not, however, now done by a hot iron, but with ink, gunpowder, or some other preparation, so as to be visible and permanent. The mark is the letter

&ldquo;D,&rdquo; affixed on the left side two inches below the armpit.