expression, ichidan verb
straighten a branch
Literal action of bending a tree branch back into a straight shape. Often used metaphorically to mean correcting something that has gone awry, similar to the proverb 矯めるなら若木のうち.
庭師が曲がった枝を矯めている。
The gardener is straightening a bent branch.
悪い習慣は早いうちに枝を矯めるよう
Bad habits should be corrected early, like straightening a branch while it's still young.