BLAZON  , a heraldic

shield, a coat of arms properly " de-scribed " according to the rules of heraldry, hence a proper heraldic description of such a coat . The O . Fr. blason seems originally to have meant simply a shield as a means of defence and not a shield-shaped surface for the display of armorial bearings, but this is difficult to reconcile with the generally accepted derivation from the Ger. blasen, to blow, proclaim, English " blaze," to noise abroad, to declare . In the 16th century the heraldic term, and " blaze " and " blazon " in the sense of proclaim, had much influence on each other .