blazon

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈbleɪzən/

• Audio (Southern England):

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• Rhymes: -eɪzən

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, 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 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene v]:

     Thy tongue, thy face, thy limbs, actions, and spirit, / Do give thee five-fold blazon.

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, [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.

• blazonable
• blazoned trail
• device
• emblazon

• nazbol

blazon

1. accusative singular of blazo

Borrowed from French blason.

blazon n (plural blazoane)

1. blazon