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 sb.1 flame, with BLAZE sb.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.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 828. His bronde & his blasoun boþe þay token.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 1860. Blasons blode and blankes they hewene.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, 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.)
c. 1325. Coer de L., 5727. In his blasoun, verrayment, Was i-paynted a serpent.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 3572. Bereth in his blasoun · of a brit hewe a wel huge werwolf · wonderli depeinted.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVI. 179. A ful bolde bacheler · I knewe hym by his blasen.
1575. Turberv., Venerie, iii. 7. The authour of that booke which amongst other things gaue this blason to the hounds of that Lords kennel.
1605. Camden, Rem. (1637), 228. The first Christians used no other blazon in their shields then the name of Christ and a crosse.
1720. Welton, Suffer. Son of God, I. vii. 138. To stamp their Escutcheon with a Blazon of the most high Descent to future ages.
1814. Scott, Ld. of Isles, III. xx. With St. George’s blazon red.
1832. Macaulay, Armada, 20. Slow upon the labouring wind the royal blazon swells.
fig. 1601. Shaks., 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.)
1773. Erskine, 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.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, I. ii. (1660), 13. Blazon is taken … strictly for an explication of Armes in apt and significant terms.
1667. E. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., I. II. ii. (1743), 53. The blazon of the Arms of Great Britain … is as follows.
1722. A. Nisbet (title), A System of Heraldry … With the True Art of Blazon, according to the most approved Heralds in Europe.
1864. Boutell, 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.
1577. Hellowes, 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.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., cvi. In the blazon of sweet beauties best.
1631. B. Jonson, New Inn, I. iii. Fair mien, discourses, civil exercise, And all the blazon of a gentleman.
1748. Thomson, Cast. Indol., II. lxiii. Beyond the blazon of my mortal pen.
1854. Patmore, Angel in Ho., II. II. iv. Their many gentle virtues miss Proud virtue’s blazon.
5. ‘Show, divulgation, publication’ (Johnson); = BLAZING vbl. sb.2 1.
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. v. 21. But this eternall blason must not be To eares of flesh and bloud.
a. 1734. North, 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 sb.2 4.
1857. Sears, Athan., vi. 56. The prophet could not bear the sudden blazon, and fell as one dead beneath the too ardent effulgence.
