Arbalest - A crossbow, consisting of a shaft of wood and furnished with a string and trigger. It was not a popular weapon, as it required no strength or manliness in its use. (Also written arblast, arbalist, arbalest and arbalet.)
Arched - Signifies that an ordinary on an escutcheon is bent or bowed. (Sometimes called archy.)
Archy - [See ARCHED]
Argent - (Ar'-jent) White. The silvery color on coat of arms. In the arms of princes it is sometimes called lune, and in those of peers pearl. In engravings it is generally represented by the natural color of the paper. It represents purity, innocence, beauty or gentleness.
- He beareth gules upon his shield, A chevron argent in the
field. -Tales of a Wayside Inn.
Used as an adjective: Of the coloring of coats armor.
- "Rinaldo flings As swift as fiery lightning kindled new;
His argent eagle with her silver wings, In field of azure, fair
Erminia knew." -Fairfax
Arm - The human arm is sometimes used in emblazoning. Tremaine of Colacombe bore gules, three dexter arms conjoined at the shoulder, flexed in triangle or, fisted argent. The arm is often found as part of the crest. [See CUBIT ARM.]
Armed - (1) Furnished with arms. (2) Adding to anything that which will give it greater strength or efficiency. (3) The term armed of applies to a beast of prey when his teeth and claws are differently colored from the rest of his body. It applies also to predatory birds when their talons and beaks are differently colored from the rest of the body. (4) Armed at all points, in days gone by, meant a man covered with armor except his face.
Armor - Coat Armor. [The same as COAT OF ARMS.]
Armor Buckle - A lozenge shaped buckle.
Armorial - (Ar-mo'ri-al) As an adjective: Pertaining or relating to heraldic arms. As substantive: A book containing coats of arms. Thus the phrase occurs, "the French armorial," "the Spanish armorial," etc.
Armorist - One well acquainted with coats of arms; skilled in heraldry. (Bailey.)
Armory - From the word armor, appertaining to coats of arms.
Arms - Arms or Armories were so called because originally displayed upon defensive arms, and coats of arms because formerly embroidered upon the surcoat or camis worn over the armor. The term coat of arms, once introduced, was afterward retained, even when displayed elsewhere than on the coat. In the days when knights were so encased in armor that no means of identifying them was left, the practice was introduced of painting their insignia of honor on their shield as an easy method of distinguishing them. Originally these were granted only to individuals, but were afterward made hereditary by King Richard I, during his crusade to Palestine. They may be divided into two general classes: (1) Public, as those of kingdoms, provinces, bishoprics, corporate bodies, etc. And (2) private, being those of private families. These two classes are again separated into many subdivisions, founded mainly on the different methods by which they were granted.
Arms of Adoption - This term is used in a case where the last representative of an aristocratic family adopts an outsider to assume his armorial bearings and inherit his estates.
Arms of Alliance - Arms which came into a man's possession by matrimonial alliances, as the arms of his wife which are impailed with his own, and those of heiresses, which he in like manner quarters. To illustrate: When Gilbert Talbot (who died in 1274) married Gwenllian, heiress of the Welsh Prince Rhys ap Griffith, he laid aside his paternal coat - "bendy of 10 pieces, argent and gules" - and adopted that of the lady - "gules, a lion rampant or, within a border engrailed of the field" - as still used by the Earls of Shrewsbury.
Arms of Assumption - Those arms which a person may legitimately assume.
Find another term:
Abased to Adumbration
Affrontee to Aquilated
Arbalest to Arms of Assumption
Arms of Attribution to Arms,
Allusive
Arms, Assumptive to Azure
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