blazon

blazon

See also: blázon

English

Etymology

From Middle English blason, blasoun (“shield”), from Old French blason (“shield”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbleɪzən/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪzən

Noun

blazon (countable and uncountable, plural blazons)

1. (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

2. (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...

3. (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: […] 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; [...]

4. 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 […] (First Folio), London: […] 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.

Translations

description of a coat of arms

Danish: blasonering c Dutch: blazoen (nl) n Finnish: vaakunaselitys, heraldinen selitys French: blason (fr), blasonnement (fr) German: Blasonierung (de), Wappenbeschreibung f Italian: blasone (it) m, blasonatura (it) f Macedonian: блазон m (blazon), блазонирање n (blazoniranje) Polish: blazonowanie (pl) n Romanian: blazon (ro) n Russian: описа́ние герба́ n (opisánije gerbá), геральди́ческий язы́к m (geralʹdíčeskij jazýk) Spanish: blasón (es) m Swedish: blasonering c, vapenbeskrivning c

Verb

blazon (third-person singular simple present blazons, present participle blazoning, simple past and past participle blazoned)

1. (transitive) To describe a coat of arms.
   • 10 July 1713, Joseph Addison, The Guardian, No. 104

     the following coat of arms, which I will send you in the original language, not being herald enough to blazon it in 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

2. To make widely or generally known, to proclaim.
   • 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act VI, scene 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

3. To display conspicuously or publicly.
4. To shine; to be conspicuous.
5. To deck; to embellish; to adorn.
   • 1699, Samuel Garth, The Dispensary

     She blazons in dread smiles her hideous form.

Related terms

• blazonable
• blazoned trail
• device
• emblazon

Translations

to describe of a coat of arms

Catalan: blasonar (ca) Danish: blasonere Finnish: laatia vaakunaselitys French: blasonner (fr), armorier (fr) German: beschreiben (de) Italian: blasonare (it), divisare (it) Macedonian: блазони́ра (blazoníra) Polish: blazonować impf Romanian: blazona Spanish: blasonar (es) Swedish: blasonera

Anagrams

• nazbol

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Esperanto

Noun

blazon

1. accusative singular of blazo

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Romanian

Etymology

From French blason.

Noun

blazon n (plural blazoane)

1. blazon

Declension

Declension of blazon

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) blazon	blazonul	(niște) blazoane	blazoanele
genitive/dative	(unui) blazon	blazonului	(unor) blazoane	blazoanelor
vocative	blazonule		blazoanelor