Forms: 5 cheffrounce, 6 chevorn, cheveroune, 7 cheverne, cheavern, 5– cheveron, 6– chevron. [a. F. chevron rafter, chevron, circumflex accent (in Picard caveron, Pr. cabrion, Sp. cabrio, rafter, chevron):—L. type *capriōn-em f. caper goat: Sp. has also cabriol in same sense:—L. capreol-us, dim. of caper goat, of which the pl. capreoli was applied to two pieces of wood inclined like rafters.]
1. A beam, or rafter; esp. in pl. the rafters or couples of the roof, which meet at an angle at the ridge.
(There is but little evidence of the actual use of this in Eng.)
[c. 1300. Battle Abbey Custumals (1887), 29. Quatuor cheveruns et omnia pertinentia in parietibus.
1331. Literæ Cantuar. (Rolls), I. 368. Xij. cheverones et ij postes de quercu.]
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Vn Chevron, a Chevron, a rafter in the house that beareth vp the roofe.
1611. Cotgr., Chevron, a kid; a Chevron (of timber in building); a rafter or sparre.
1617. Minsheu, Cheverons.
1692. Coles, Chevrons, the strong rafters meeting at the house top.
1851. Turner, Dom. Archit., I. i. 17. Its timber gable and seven couples, or cheverons, of the roof.
b. (See quot.)
1762. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1886), II. 240. Fish yards, cheverons, or other obstructions to navigation in the river Mersey.
2. Her. A charge or device on the escutcheon, consisting of a bar bent like two meeting rafters, thus, 𝝠. Chevron couped: one that does not touch the sides of the escutcheon; chevron in chief: one that rises to the top of the field; chevron rompee: one with the upper part displaced, as if broken off.
1395. in E. E. Wills (1882), 4. A keuerlet of red sendel ypouthered with Cheuerons.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, Her., B v b. The secunde pynyon is called cheffrounce, that is, a couple of sparis.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, III. v. (1660), 123. This Cheuron in Blazon is called Rompee, or rather Rompu.
1675. Lond. Gaz., No. 1041/4. Stolen out of the Buttery and Butlers Chamber at New-Colledge in Oxford … one large Silver Pot … and about eleven small ones, all markt with the Colledge Arms, viz. two Cheaverns between three Roses.
1872. Ruskin, Eagle’s N., § 235. The Chevron, a band bent at an angle (properly a right angle) … represents the gable or roof of a house.
3. The same shape used in decorative art, etc.
1608. B. Jonson, Masque of Blackn., Wks. 1615, 894 (R.). The top thereof was stuck with a cheu’ron of lights.
1835. Mudie, Brit. Birds (1841), I. 208. The wings and tail are black … the latter with a chevron of white.
1865. Lubbock, Preh. Times, vi. 112. Incised patterns in which the chevron or herring-bone constantly recurs.
1879. Sir G. Scott, Lect. Archit., II. 816. These chamfers … enriched with chevrons of slight depth.
4. esp. A distinguishing mark or badge on the sleeve of non-commissioned officers, policemen, etc.
1813. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., X. 363. I am ignorant to what purpose … 5000 serjeants’ chevrons … are to be applied.
1844. Regul. & Ord. Army, 149. The Non-commissioned Officers … are to wear Chevrons on each Arm.
1868. Times, 3 March, 10/1. Constables O’Brien and Mackay, who assisted in the arrest, received chevrons.
1884. Sir F. S. Roberts, in 19th Cent., June, 1072. No reason why the chevron should not still be given … to mark certain periods of average good conduct.
5. attrib. and Comb., as chevron-cloth, -form, -pattern, -shaped adj.; chevron-bone, the V-shaped bone branching from the vertebral column of some animals; chevron-mo(u)lding, an ornamental molding of a zigzag pattern; chevron-work = prec. Also chevron-wise (-ways) adv., in the manner of a chevron.
1836. Todd, Cycl. Anat., I. 569/1. The *chevron bones of the anterior portion of the tail.
1884. Cassell’s Fam. Mag., March, 246/1. *Chevron cloth owes its name to the herringbone weaving.
1816. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, I. 138. The zigzag or *chevron moulding, which is generally used in great profusion.
1616. W. Browne, Brit. Past., I. iv. The Plow-man … Throwes up the fruitful earth in ridged hils, Betweene whose *chevron forme he leaves a balke.
1854. Woodward, Mollusca (1856), 87. *Chevron-shaped coloured bands.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, II. vi. (1611), 58. Two lines erected *Cheuronwaies.
1864. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., xvii. (ed. 3), § 2. 274. A line set chevron-wise az.
