Forms: 4–5 blas-en, 5 blasin, -yn, 6–7 blase, 6– blaze. Pa. t. and pple. blazed (pa. pple. once in 6 blasen; cf. Ger. geblasen, Du. geblazen blown). [In sense 1 apparently the same word as ON. blása to blow (as the wind, with the mouth, bellows, a trumpet), OHG. blâsan (MHG. and mod.G. blâsen), MDu. and Du. blâzen, Goth. -blêsan (in uf-blêsan to blow up, puff up):—OTeut. *blǽs-an, f. root *blǽ- (Aryan *bhlê-, L. flā-re: see BLOW) with suffixal -s- (perhaps from the present stem) taken into the root. The verb (*blǽs-an) was not preserved in OE., where it was represented only by the derivative sb. blǽs-t, BLAST ‘blowing.’ The ME. vb. was prob. a. ON. blása (unless direct connection with LG. or Du. blâsen, blâzen, can be traced). Its later history is confused with that of BLAZON, evidently through associating the infinitive blas-en with the pre-existing sb. blason, BLAZON ‘shield, heraldic shield.’ The proper senses of blaze and blazon, acted and reacted upon each other in the 16th c.: see senses 3–6, and BLAZON v. 4–6. In later uses of sense 2, there may also be often traced an association with BLAZE v.1, as if to ‘blaze abroad,’ were to ‘expose to the full blaze of publicity.’]
† 1. To blow (e.g., with a musical instrument); to puff. Also with out. Obs.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame (1866). With his blake clarioun He gan to blasen [v.r. -yn, -in] out a soun As lowde as beloweth wynde in helle.
1481. Caxton, Reynard (Arb.), 78. They [beer and wulf] conne wel huylen and blasen, stele and robbe.
1535. [cf. BLAZING ppl. a.2]
2. trans. To proclaim (as with a trumpet), to publish, divulge, make known.
c. 1450. [see BLAZER2.]
1541. Barnes, Wks. (1573), 198. Then were you first of all, assoyled of your allegyance, and that absolucion was blasen and blowen, preached, and taught, throughout all the world.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par., Pref. 11. In blasyng the Antichristian decrees.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, II. 227. What ayles this ardour To blase my onely secrets?
1588. Greene, Pandosto (1843), 14. This proclamation being once blased through the country.
1613. Heywood, Silv. Age, III. i. Wks. 1874, III. 139. Through all our Ebbes and Tides my Trump hath blaz’d her.
1753. Foote, Eng. in Paris, II. (1763), 26. The Secret might soon be blaz’d.
1823. Scott, Peveril (1865), 37. What I have to tell you is widely blazed.
1859. Tennyson, Vivien, 593.
b. with abroad (forth, about). The prevalent use.
1552. Huloet, Blase abrode, publico.
1564. Brief Exam., **iij. Rather to be lamented … then to be blased abrode in wordes.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., II. ii. 31. The Heauens themselues blaze forth the death of Princes.
1611. Bible, Mark i. 45. He went out, and beganne to publish it much, and to blase abroad the matter.
1622. Wither, in Farr’s S. P. (1848), 220. I know … his worth To be the same which I have blazed forth.
1791. Boswell, Johnson (1816), II. 346, note. Fearing … that I should blaze it abroad in his lifetime.
1824. W. Irving, T. Trav., I. 335. The affair was blazed about next morning.
† c. with clause: To spread the report that. Obs.
1553–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1684), II. 47/1. They falsely accuse him, which blaze, that he began with plausible matter.
1578. T. N., trans. Conq. W. India, 90. Fame flew abroade, blazing that Mutezuma feared the Christians.
† d. To decry, defame, hold up to infamy. Obs.
1580. North, Plutarch (1676), 6. Minos was alwayes blazed and disgraced throughout all the Theaters of Athens.
† 3. To describe heraldically, to BLAZON. Obs.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 38. Blasyn or dyscry armys, describo.
1530. Palsgr., 456. He can blase armes as well as any herault.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 24. His Armes are thus to be blazed … He beareth a Shielde Argente, thereon a plaine Crosse Gules.
1605. Verstegan, Dec. Intell., v. (1628), 120. Our mixed manner of blasing armes in broken French and English put together.
a. 1628. F. Greville, Sidney (1652), 44. What Herald [can] blaze their Arms without a blemish?
† b. absol. Obs.
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 163. Able to blaze by all those waies … whereby Armes were euer blazoned.
† c. (fig.) To blaze one’s arms, was used in sense 2 = to publish, celebrate, describe. Obs.
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (1884), 17. A veri frend … hath dun mi arrand and blasd mi arms abrode.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 735/2. Let their armes bee blased, that euery man may detest them.
4. With mixture of senses 2 and 3.
† a. To describe, set forth with éclat, celebrate.
[1553. Douglas, Æneis, XIII. Prol. 165. And forthirmore, to blasin [MSS. read blason] this new day, Quhay micht discryue the birdis blisful bay?]
1566. T. Stapleton, Ret. Untr. Jewel, iii. 131. Haue you … blased out the Apostle of that people, with these Charitable Titles: Hypocrite, [etc.].
1574. trans. Marlorat’s Apocalips, 15. This title agreeth to god only, according as he blazeth himselfe by it saying: I am God almighty.
a. 1635. Corbet, Poems (1807), 65. He … that would write And blaze thee thoroughly, may at once say all, Here lies the anchor our admiral.
† b. To describe pictorially, depict, portray. Obs.
1579. E. K., in Spenser’s Sheph. Cal., Ep. Ded. § 1. They use to blaze and portraict … the … lineaments.
1642. R. Carpenter, Exper., VI. vii. 169. In blazing the Transfiguration of Christ, they put it off without any blazing figure, without a transfiguration of words.
† 5. To paint or adorn with armorial bearings or heraldic devices; to BLAZON. Obs.
1620. Unton Inv., 18. One hanginge table blazed wth armes.
† 6. To emblazon. poet. rare. (in quot. fig.)
1813. Scott, Rokeby, IV. xvi. High was Redmond’s youthful name Blazed in the roll of martial fame.
