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▪ I. blazon, n.|ˈbleɪz(ə)n| Forms: 4 blasoun, blasen, 4–7 blason, 5 Sc. blasowne, 6– blazon. [a. F. blason (found in other Romanic langs., as Sp. blason, Pg. brasão, It. blasone, Pr. blezo, blizo). By Diez and Littré referred to a Teut. word identical either with Eng. blaze n.1 flame, with blaze n.2 a conspicuous mark, or with Ger. blasen to blow (blaze v.2), OHG. blâsô a trumpeter. But the original meaning of OF. blason was not, as these conjectures assume, ‘glory’ or ‘proclamation,’ or even ‘armorial shield,’ but simply ‘shield’ in the literal sense. This is proved by the earliest quotations in Fr. and Eng., and by the derived OF. sense of ‘shoulder-blade.’] I. Proper senses. †1. A shield used in war. Obs.
c1340Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 828 His bronde & his blasoun boþe þay token. a1400Morte Arth. 1860 Blasons blode and blankes they hewene. c1425Wyntoun Cron. viii. xxxiii. 21 Willame of Spens percit a Blasowne. [see also 2.] 2. Her. A shield in heraldry; armorial bearings, coat of arms; a banner bearing the arms. (The first 3 quotations connect this with sense 1.)
c1325Coer de L. 5727 In his blasoun, verrayment, Was i-paynted a serpent. c1350Will. Palerne 3572 Bereth in his blasoun · of a brit hewe a wel huge werwolf · wonderli depeinted. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xvi. 179 A ful bolde bacheler · I knewe hym by his blasen.
1575Turberv. Venery iii. 7 The authour of that booke which amongst other things gaue this blason to the hounds of that Lords kennel. 1605Camden Rem. (1637) 228 The first Christians used no other blazon in their shields then the name of Christ and a crosse. 1720Welton Suff. Son of God I. vii. 138 To stamp their Escutcheon with a Blazon of the most high Descent to future ages. 1814Scott Ld. of Isles iii. xx, With St. George's blazon red. 1832Macaulay Armada 20 Slow upon the labouring wind the royal blazon swells. fig.1601Shakes. Twel. N. i. v. 312 Thy tongue, thy face, thy limbes, actions, and spirit, Do giue thee fiue-fold blazon. b. Sc. Law. The badge of office worn by a king's messenger on his arm. (Jamieson.)
1773Erskine Inst. Law Scot. iv. iv. §33 (Jam.) The libel will be cast, if it do not expressly mention that the messenger..displayed his blazon. 3. Description or representation, according to the rules of Heraldry, of armorial bearings.
1610J. Guillim Heraldry i. ii. (1660) 13 Blazon is taken..strictly for an explication of Armes in apt and significant terms. 1667E. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. i. ii. ii. (1743) 53 The blazon of the Arms of Great Britain..is as follows. 1722A. Nisbet (title) A System of Heraldry..With the True Art of Blazon, according to the most approved Heralds in Europe. 1864Boutell Heraldry Hist. & Pop. xix. 300 The earliest blazon of a Royal Banner..occurs in the Roll of Caerlaverock. II. The following show more or less influence of blaze v.2 4. transf. A description or record of any kind; esp. a record of virtues or excellencies.
1577Hellowes Gueuara's Fam. Ep. 60 It doth not seeme to me a man may haue better blason in his house, than to be, & also descended of, a bloud vnspotted. c1600Shakes. Sonn. cvi, In the blazon of sweet beauties best. 1631B. Jonson New Inn i. iii, Fair mien, discourses, civil exercise, And all the blazon of a gentleman. 1748Thomson Cast. Indol. ii. lxiii, Beyond the blazon of my mortal pen. 1854Patmore Angel in Ho. ii. ii. iv, Their many gentle virtues miss Proud virtue's blazon. 5. ‘Show, divulgation, publication’ (Johnson); = blazing vbl. n.2 1.
1602Shakes. Ham. i. v. 21 But this eternall blason must not be To eares of flesh and bloud. a1734North Examen i. ii. ⁋141 If the facts are not true..the adverse Party soon make a Blazon of them abroad. ¶ ? Cf. prec. quot. from Hamlet, and blaze n.1 4.
1857Sears Athan. vi. 56 The prophet could not bear the sudden blazon, and fell as one dead beneath the too ardent effulgence. ▪ II. blazon, v.|ˈbleɪzən| [f. prec. n., or directly from F. blasonner (similarly f. F. blason) in use in 15th c. As shewn under blaze v.2, that vb. was in earlier use in this sense; and in the 16th c. the two words acted and reacted on each other: cf. 4–6 below, and senses 3–6 of blaze v.2 Indeed so far as the evidence goes, the non-heraldic senses are the earlier, though the heraldic use of blasyn (blaze v.2 sense 3) in the Promp. Parv. makes it likely that blazon in sense 1 may go back to c 1500.] I. Heraldic, and extensions. 1. trans. To describe in proper heraldic language. Also absol.
1586J. Ferne Blaz. Gentrie 202 If this following be blazoned by you. 1610J. Guillim Heraldry i. i. 5 To blazon is to expresse what the shapes, kinds, and colour of things born in Armes are together with their apt significations. 1775T. Warton Hist. Eng. Poetry I. 455 They pretend to blazon the arms painted in the glass windows. 1815Scribbleomania 303 In the same book we find the exact arms properly blazoned of Semiramis, Queen of Babylon. 2. To depict or paint (armorial bearings) according to the rules of heraldry.
1570Sempill Ballates (1872) 65 With Guldis and Rukis, blasnit equallie Is the auld armes of the Hammiltounis. 1593Rites & Mon. Ch. Durh. (1842), Having his armes verie excellentlie blasoned in fine coulored glasse. 1864Skeat tr. Uhland's Poems 381 In colours bright and fair, Each warrior's name and scutcheon is duly blazoned there. 1875Furnivall in Thynne's Animadv. 98 The arms of the Chancellor are blazond at the back of the title. b. transf. and fig. To paint or depict in colours; to illuminate, set off or set out with fine colouring.
1699Garth Dispens. i. 15 She blazons in dread Smiles her hideous form. 1772Fletcher Logica Genev. 41 The Christian virtues which blazon his character. 1812Byron Ch. Har. i. iii, Nor all that heralds rake from coffined clay Can blazon evil deeds, or consecrate a crime. 1851Ruskin Mod. Paint. II. iii. i. v. §5 Their effect is oftentimes deeper when their lines are dim, than when they are blazoned with crimson and pale gold. 1871R. Ellis Catullus lxiv. 51 A broidery..whose curious art did blazon valour of heroes. 3. To inscribe (anything) with arms, paintings, names of distinction, set forth in colours, or in some ornamental way; to adorn as with blazonry.
1813Scott Trierm. iii. xix, A hall, whose walls so wide Were blazon'd all with feats of pride. 1827― Surg. Dau. i. 24 The door itself was blazoned with the name of Gideon Grey, M.A. Surgeon, &c. &c. 1862Mrs. Browning Forced Recruit viii, And blazon the brass with their names. 1866Motley Dutch Rep. ii. iii. 166 The blood-red flag of the ‘Sacred office’..blazoned upon either side with the portraits of Alexander and of Ferdinand. b. fig. To adorn or give lustre to (as great names fittingly illuminated adorn a genealogical roll or record).
1815Scribbleomania 130 note, One more individual shall blazon my page. Ibid. 197 One of the greatest men that ever blazoned the annals of painting. II. Related also to blaze v.2 4. To describe fitly, set forth honourably in words; = blaze v.2 4.
1513Douglas æneis i. Prol. 329 By him perfitlie blasonis he All wirschep, manheid and nobilite. 1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. ii. vi. 26 If the measure of thy ioy Be heapt like mine, and that thy skill be more To blason it. 1824Campbell Theodric 90 Glowing pages, blazoning forth The fancied image of his leader's worth. 1863Mrs. C. Clarke Shaks. Char. xv. 384 No herald more eloquently blazons the kingly attributes and virtues. 5. To publish vauntingly or boastfully, boast of. (Cf. blazing vbl. n.2, ppl. a.2)
1534Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) Q iij, I wold neuer blasen loue with my tongue. Ibid. I i vij, And there we blason and boste. 1549Compl. Scot. 14 Ther is diuerse men that can blason the veyris in the tauerne, or at the fyir syde, amang the vulgar ignorant pepil. 1807W. Irving Salmag. (1824) 124 My friend Launcelot is not a man to blazon any thing. 1812Southey Essays (1832) I. 133. 6. To proclaim, make public, ‘trumpet’; = blaze v.2 2. Also with forth, out. Often in a bad sense.
1577Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619) 215 To be silent, and not to blason at all so hainous an offence. 1591Spenser Teares Muses 102 To blazon out their blames. 1681Baxter Apol. Nonconf. Min. 18 To blazon and aggravate our sufferings. 1731Fielding Mod. Husb. iv. i, A common trick..to blazon out the reputation of women whose virtue you have destroyed. 1845Ld. Campbell Chancellors (1857) II. xxxiv. 106 That the Queen's shame..might not be blazoned on the journals. 1863Kinglake Crimea II. ix. 94 To have it blazoned out to the world. b. with compl.
a1619M. Fotherby Atheom. i. xiii. §3 (1622) 138 He, whom you blazoned to be immortall. |