blazon
See also: blázon
Contents
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
Old French blason (“shield”).
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
blazon (countable and uncountable, plural blazons)
- (heraldry) A verbal or written description of a coat of arms.
- 1894, James Parker, A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry:
- ...it should never be forgotten that the best blazon is that which is the most perspicuous
- 1894, James Parker, A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry:
- (heraldry) A formalized language for describing a coat of arms.
- 1997, Gerard J. Brault, Early Blazon:
- We must banish, therefore, the persistent but wholly erroneous notion that the heralds invented many of the terms used in blazon and borrowed the rest from the everyday lexicon of terms...
- 1997, Gerard J. Brault, Early Blazon:
- (heraldry) A coat of arms or a banner depicting a coat of arms.
- 1808 February 22, Walter Scott, “Canto Fifth. The Court.”, in Marmion; a Tale of Flodden Field, Edinburgh: Printed by J[ames] Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Company, […]; London: William Miller, and John Murray, OCLC 270129616, stanza XV, page 264:
- He wears their motto on his blade, / Their blazon o'er his towers displayed; [...]
- Ostentatious display, verbal or otherwise; publication; description; record.
- 1709, Jeremy Collier, Essays upon several moral subjects
- Obtrude the blazon of their exploits upon the company.
- c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or VVhat You VVill”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene v]:
- Thy tongue, thy face, thy limbs, actions, and spirit, / Do give thee five-fold blazon.
- 1709, Jeremy Collier, Essays upon several moral subjects
TranslationsEdit
a description of a coat of arms
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VerbEdit
blazon (third-person singular simple present blazons, present participle blazoning, simple past and past participle blazoned)
- (transitive) To describe a coat of arms.
- (Can we date this quote by Addison?)
- the coat of arms, which I am not herald enough to blazon into English
- 1889, Charles Norton Elvin, A Dictionary of Heraldry
- After Blazoning the Shield, you proceed to the exterior ornaments viz.: The Helmet, Lambrequin, Crest, Supporters, Badge, and Motto
- (Can we date this quote by Addison?)
- To make widely or generally known, to proclaim.
- c. 1611, William Shakespeare, w:Cymbeline, Act VI-III:
- O thou goddess/ thou divine Nature, how thyself thou blazon'st/ in these two princely boys.
- 1774, John Trumbull, An Elegy on the Times
- There pride sits blazoned on th' unmeaning brow.
- 18th century, William Cowper, Retirement
- In drawing pictures of forbidden joys,
Retires to blazon his own worthless name
- In drawing pictures of forbidden joys,
- c. 1611, William Shakespeare, w:Cymbeline, Act VI-III:
- To display conspicuously or publicly.
- To shine; to be conspicuous.
- To deck; to embellish; to adorn.
- 1699, Samuel Garth, The Dispensary
- She blazons in dread smiles her hideous form.
- 1699, Samuel Garth, The Dispensary
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
to describe of a coat of arms