- ABASED
- 1) A heraldic term for when the main ordinary on a shield, banner of
arms or flag is placed in a lower position than is usual - lowered (see also
‘banner of arms’, ‘enhanced’ and
‘ordinary’).
2) A term that may also be used when a shield is placed in a lower position than is normal (see also ‘shield 1)’).
![[abased example]](../images/v/vxt-d006a.gif)
![[abased example]](../images/v/vxt-d006.gif)
![[abased example]](../images/v/vxt-d006b.gif)
![[abased example]](../images/v/vxt-d006c.gif)
Examples (4); Flag of Olszyna, Poland (fotw)
- ABEYANCE
- See ‘in abeyance’.
![[abeyance]](../images/v/vxt-d1914.gif)
Former First Class Commodore’s Broad Pennant, UK (fotw)
- ABOVE
- 1) In vexillology a term used when a charge (or charges) is (or are) placed on
the top of, or immediately above
another – but see ‘above 2)’ and ‘surmounted by 1)’ (also
‘charge 1)’).
2) In heraldry, see ‘ensigned’.
![[above]](../images/v/vxt-d2205.gif)
![[above]](../images/v/vxt-d2728.gif)
![[above]](../images/v/vxt-d3879a.gif)
![[above]](../images/v/vxt-d3879.gif)
National Flag of Zambia (fotw); National Flag of
Malawi (fotw);
Greater Arms and Government Flag of Liechtenstein (fotw)
- ABSENCE PENNANT (or ABSENTEE PENNANT)
- 1) In widespread naval usage, one of four pennants (the first to the fourth
substitute in the NATO Code of Signals) displayed (from the port or starboard yardarm) in
port when the commanding officer of a ship
or the flag officer or civil official whose flag has been flying in that ship is temporarily
absent from the vessel (see also
'international code of signal flags’,
‘international code of signals’ and
‘substitute’).
- 2) See ‘owner absent flag’.
![[absence example]](../images/v/vxt-d008a.gif)
![[absence example]](../images/v/vxt-d008b.gif)
![[absence example]](../images/v/vxt-d008c.gif)
![[absence example]](../images/v/vxt-d008d.gif)
First Substitute (Flag Officer Absent),
Second Substitute (Chief of Staff Absent), Third Substitute (Captain Absent),
Fourth Substitute (Civil/Military Official Absent) (fotw)
- ACCOLÉ
- An alternative heraldic term to gorged - see ‘gorged’.
![[accolle example]](../images/v/vxt-d029.gif)
![[accolle example]](../images/v/vxt-d029a.gif)
Flag and Arms of Elgg, Switzerland (fotw & Wikipedia)
- ACCORNÉ
- An alternative heraldic term to attired - see ‘attired’.
![[accorne example]](../images/v/vxt-d031.gif)
![[accorne example]](../images/v/vxt-d031a.gif)
Flag and Arms of Blížejov, Czechia (fotw)
- ACCRETION
- A term sometimes used by textile experts involved in fabric conservation,
and describes the soiling, mildew damage or other defects that occur on the surface
of a flag.
- ACHIEVEMENT (OF ARMS)
- 1) In heraldry see ‘armorial bearings’.
- 2) In strict heraldic practice all the armorial bearings of a deceased person as displayed at that person’s
funeral – a funeral achievement or hatchment (see also
‘armorial bearings’,
‘badge banner’,
‘bannerole’,
‘coat of arms’,
‘great banner’
and ‘grumphion’).
![[Barbados arms]](../images/v/vxt-d3189.gif)
![[Bahamas arms]](../images/v/vxt-d2276.gif)
![[Churchill arms]](../images/v/vxt-d2793.gif)
![[Churchill arms]](../images/v/vxt-d890.gif)
Achievement of Arms/Armorial Bearings of Barbados, The Bahamas
and of Guyana (fotw); Achievement of Arms/Armorial Bearings of the Late Sir Winston Churchill, UK
(Churchill Society)
Please note with regard to 2) that if all the armorial bearings of a deceased person are displayed on a
flag they become a great banner, or if less than all a bannerole, both as referenced above.
- ACHROME
- The French for colourless – but see ‘monochrome 1)’.
![[achrome example]](../images/v/vxt-d2063.gif)
Achromatic Illustration of 1993 (Tomislav Todorovic)
- ACORN (or ACORNED) CROSS
- In largely South European heraldry, the term used to describe a Greek
Cross adorned with acorns, and symbolic of St Anthony in the Portuguese
tradition – a term, as far as can be discovered, unknown in English heraldry
(See also ‘cross tau’
and ‘Greek cross’).
![[acorn example]](../images/v/vxt-d3592a.gif)
![[acorn example]](../images/v/vxt-d3593.gif)
![[acorn example]](../images/v/vxt-d3593a.gif)
Arms of
Armaçăo de Pęra, Portugal (fotw); Flag and Arms of
Santo António dos Cavaleiros e Frielas, Portugal (fotw)
- ACTION PENNANT
- See ‘paying off pennant’.
- ACTIVE
- In vexillology a term that may be used to describe when the rays
of a star or sun emblem, or a radiating stripe, are shown with undulating or wavy curves – see
‘active and inactive’ below and
‘inactive’
(also ‘radiating’,
‘rays 1)’,
‘star’ and its following note,
‘sunburst’,
‘sun emblem’ and
‘wavy’).
![[active example]](../images/v/vxt-d553.gif)
![[active example]](../images/v/vxt-d2062.gif)
![[active example]](../images/v/vxt-d1730.gif)
National
Flag of Kyrgyzstan (fotw);
Unofficial Flag of Guadeloupe (fotw);
Flag of Pernambuco, Brazil (fotw)
- ACTIVE AND INACTIVE
- In vexillology a term that may be used to describe when the rays of a star or sun
emblem are shown with alternating wavy and straight rays – but see
‘sun-in-splendour’
(also ‘active’ above,
‘inactive’,
‘rays 1)’,
‘star’ and its following note,
‘sunburst’,
‘sun emblem’ and
‘wavy’).
![[Active/Inactive example]](../images/v/vxt-d564.gif)
![[Active/Inactive example]](../images/v/vxt-d2001.gif)
![[Active/Inactive]](../images/v/vxt-d564a.gif)
![[Active/Inactive example]](../images/v/vxt-d2002.gif)
The Sun and Star of May, with the National Flags of
Argentina and Uruguay (fotw)
- ADDITION(S) OF HONOUR (or HONOR)
- See ‘augmentation of honour’.
Arms and Government Ensign of Malta 1943 - 1964 (fotw)
- ADDORSED
- 1) The heraldic term used when two animals are turned back to back – endorsed – but see 2) below and ‘averted’.
- 2) The heraldic term also used when two charges are turned outwards – endorsed (see also
‘charge 1)’).
Former Arms and Flag of Aure, Norway (fotw);
Arms of Turośń Kościelna, Poland
(fotw); Flag of Ferrette, France (fotw); Example (Wikipedia)
- ADDRESS GROUP
- In US naval usage and in some others, the group of signal flags displayed by a vessel with
a flag officer or unit commander embarked, and flown (together with a call sign hoist) when
entering or leaving harbour – see
‘call sign hoist’
(also ‘signal flag’ and
‘signal hoist’).
Address Group of the Commander, Second Fleet, US (Sea Flags)
- ADMIRAL'S FLAG
- See ‘flag of command 1)’.
Command Flags of an Admiral, Vice-Admiral, and Rear-Admiral, Austria-Hungary 1894 – 1915 (fotw)
- ADMIRALTY CROWN
- In UK usage an alternative term for the naval crown - see ‘naval crown’.
Flag and Badge of the Sea Scouts, UK (fotw & official website)
- ADMIRALTY FLAG
- 1) Specifically in UK usage see ‘anchor flag 2)’
(also ‘fouled anchor’).
2) Generically the flag, usually (but not exclusively) flown ashore, which represents a maritime authority
(see also ‘state ensign 2)’).
Flag of the Admiralty Board, UK (fotw); Flag of the
Admiralty, Brazil (fotw); Flag of the Admiralty;
Thailand (fotw);
Flag of the Admiralty 1710 – 1802, Russia (fotw)
- ADMIRALTY WARRANT
- See ‘warrant’ and its following note.
Ensign and Burgee of the Royal Mersey Yacht Club, UK (fotw)
- ADMIRAL WITHOUT DISTINCTION OF COLOUR
- See ‘yellow admiral’.
- ADORNED
- 1) In heraldry see ‘garnished’.
2) The heraldic term that may also be used in place of garnished when a hat, or other
item of clothing is decorated in a different tincture (see also ‘tincture’
and ‘vested’).
Flag of Vlissingen, The Netherlands (fotw);
Arms and Flag of Winikon, Switzerland (Wikipedia
& fotw)
- ADVANCE THE COLOUR/COLOURS (or COLOR/COLORS)
- (v) A military term originally for moving a flag forward towards an enemy,
and now used on ceremonial occasions as a command to parade the colour(s) forward
(see also ‘colour 2)’,
‘colours 2)’, and
‘parade flag’).
- ADVENT CROSS
- In heraldry see ‘cross tau’.
Flag and Arms of St. Antönien-Ascharina, Switzerland (fotw
& Wikipedia)
- ADVERTISING BANNER
- See ‘banner 4)’.
![[advertising banner]](../images/v/vxt-d577.gif)
- ADVERTISING PULLDOWN (or PULL-DOWN)
- See ‘pulldown’.
