emblazon

English

Etymology

From en- +‎ blazon, from Old French blason (shield).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɪmˈbleɪzən/, /ɛmˈbleɪzən/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Rhymes: -eɪzən

Verb

emblazon (third-person singular simple present emblazons, present participle emblazoning, simple past and past participle emblazoned)

  1. (transitive) To adorn with prominent markings.
    • 1959 August, K. Hoole, “The Middlesbrough — Newcastle route of the N.E.R.”, in Trains Illustrated, page 359:
      The route passes over low-lying land, the only item of note being the Cerebos salt works at Greatham, where one may catch a glimpse of the smart black diesel locomotive emblazoned with the firm's name writ large.
  2. (transitive) To inscribe upon.
    The benefactor's image is emblazoned on our memory.
    • 2018 August 2, Jane Coaston, “#QAnon, the scarily popular pro-Trump conspiracy theory, explained”, in Vox[1]:
      Welcome to QAnon, sometimes referred to as “the Storm.” It’s a conspiracy theory that’s swept social media and is starting to break into the mainstream, with Trump rally attendees in Florida on July 31 holding signs and wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “We are Q” and the conspiracy theory’s main catchphrase, “Where we go one, we go all.”
  3. (transitive, heraldry) To draw (a coat of arms); depict a heraldic device on something.
    • 1956 July, Col. H. C. B. Rogers, “Railway Heraldry”, in Railway Magazine, page 476:
      The ordered system of symbols which we know as heraldry came into being in the twelfth century to meet a military need. These symbols were emblazoned on shields, surcoats and fighting flags, and served as an invaluable means of identification when the features were obscured by the great helm.
  1. (transitive) To celebrate or extol as with deeds or merit.

Derived terms

Translations