Emblem

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Emblem \Em"blem\, n. [F. embl[`e]me, L. emblema, -atis, that
     which is put in or on, inlaid work, fr. Gr. ? a thing put in
     or on, fr. ? to throw, lay, put in; ? in + ? to throw. See
     {In}, and {Parable}.]
     1. Inlay; inlaid or mosaic work; something ornamental
        inserted in a surface. [Obs.] --Milton.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A visible sign of an idea; an object, or the figure of an
        object, symbolizing and suggesting another object, or an
        idea, by natural aptness or by association; a figurative
        representation; a typical designation; a symbol; as, a
        balance is an emblem of justice; a scepter, the emblem of
        sovereignty or power; a circle, the emblem of eternity.
        "His cicatrice, an emblem of war, here on his sinister
        cheek." --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A picture accompanied with a motto, a set of verse, or the
        like, intended as a moral lesson or meditation.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Writers and artists of the 17th century gave much
           attention and study to the composition of such emblems,
           and many collections of them were published.
  
     Syn: Sign; symbol; type; device; signal; token.
  
     Usage: {Sign}, {Emblem}, {Symbol}, {Type}. Sign is the
            generic word comprehending all significant
            representations. An emblem is a visible object
            representing another by a natural suggestion of
            characteristic qualities, or an habitual and
            recognized association; as, a circle, having no
            apparent beginning or end, is an emblem of eternity; a
            particular flag is the emblem of the country or ship
            which has adopted it for a sign and with which it is
            habitually associated. Between emblem and symbol the
            distinction is slight, and often one may be
            substituted for the other without impropriety. See
            {Symbol}. Thus, a circle is either an emblem or a
            symbol of eternity; a scepter, either an emblem or a
            symbol of authority; a lamb, either an emblem or a
            symbol of meekness. "An emblem is always of something
            simple; a symbol may be of something complex, as of a
            transaction . . . In consequence we do not speak of
            actions emblematic." --C. J. Smith. A type is a
            representative example, or model, exhibiting the
            qualities common to all individuals of the class to
            which it belongs; as, the Monitor is a type of a class
            of war vessels.
            [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Emblem \Em"blem\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Emblemed}; p. pr. & vb.
     n. {Embleming}.]
     To represent by an emblem; to symbolize. [R.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Emblemed by the cozening fig tree.       --Feltham.
     Emblematic

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  emblem
       n 1: special design or visual object representing a quality,
            type, group, etc.
       2: a visible symbol representing an abstract idea [syn: {allegory}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  93 Moby Thesaurus words for "emblem":
     adumbration, allegory, armory, attribute, badge, badge of office,
     badges, baton, blazonry, brassard, button, cap and gown, case,
     case in point, chain, chain of office, charactery, cipher,
     class ring, coat, cockade, collar, conventional symbol, crest,
     cross, decoration, demonstration, device, dress, eagle, emblems,
     ensigns, example, exemplar, exemplification, explanation, exponent,
     fasces, figurehead, fleur-de-lis, hammer and sickle, heraldry,
     iconology, ideogram, illustration, insignia, instance, lapel pin,
     livery, logo, logogram, logotype, love knot, mace, mantle,
     markings, medal, mortarboard, object lesson, old school tie,
     pictogram, pin, regalia, relevant instance, representation,
     representative, ring, rose, school ring, seal, shamrock,
     sigillography, sign, skull and crossbones, sphragistics, staff,
     swastika, symbol, symbolic system, symbolism, symbolization,
     symbology, tartan, thistle, tie, token, totem, totem pole, type,
     typical example, uniform, verge, wand