Term | Description |
Pale | One of the nine honorable ordinaries. It is a vertical line, set upright in the middle of the shield and occupying one-third of the field. It seldom contains more than three charges. |
Palewise | In the manner of a pale or pales; divided by perpendicular lines; to divide the field palewise |
Pall | A figure having the form of the letter Y. It consists of half a pale issuing from the base, and conjoined in the fesse point with half a saltier from the dexter chief and sinister chief. |
Pallet | A diminutive of the pale, being one-fourth of its breadth |
Palletted | Being conjoined by a pallet; as "A chevron palletted." |
Paly | A field divided into four or more equal parts by perpendicular lines of two tinctures alternating. The number should always be specified; as, "Paly of six argent and gules." |
Pard | A leopard |
Partition | One of several divisions made in a coat when the arms of several families are borne on one shield, from intermarriage, etc. (In this connection see QUARTERING.)
PARTITION LINES - The lines by which a shield may be divided. They are closely allied to the ordinaries for which they are named. When a field is divided in the direction of an ordinary it is said to be "party per" that ordinary; as, party per pale, party per bend, etc. Unless otherwise specified, the partition lines are straight; they may, however, be drawn in a variety of ways, such as undy, embattled, dancette, etc. |
Party | Parted: divided. Used in reference to any division of a field or charge. When a field is divided toward an ordinary it is said to be "party per" that ordinary.
PARTY PER BEND - When the field is divided by a line running diagonally from the dexter chief to the sinister base. PARTY PER CHIEF - Divided by a horizontal line one-third the distance of the field from the top of the shield. (Party per chief is rare.) PARTY PER CROSS - This is called Quarterly. PARTY PER PALE - Divided by a perpendicular line. PARTY PER FESSE - Divided by a horizontal line in the center of the shield. |
Passant | Walking; said of any animal, except beasts of the chase, when represented as walking, with the dexter paw raised. The same attitude in the case of a stag, hart, etc., would be trippant. |
Patonce | Applied to a cross having expanded ends, like the cross patée, each end terminating in three points |
Patriarchal cross | A cross in which the shaft is twice crossed, the lower arms being longer than the upper |
Pelican | While this bird is ocassionally seen in arms, it is more common as a crest. When represented as wounding herself, she is vulning; when feeding her young, in her piety.
PELICAN IN HER PIETY - A pelican represented in the act of wounding her breast to feed her young with her own blood. |
Pellet | A black roundel. (Also called ogress and gunstone.) |
Pennon | A small flag or streamer half the size of the guidon |
Per | By: by the means of: by way of |
Pheon | A bearing representing the head of a broad arrow or javelin, with long barbs which are engrailed on the inner edge. |
Pierced | Applied to any bearing which is perforated so as to show the field under it |
Pile | One of a honorable ordinaries, having the form of a wedge, issuing from the chief, with the point ending with the lower point of the shield. When borne plain it contains one-third of the chief in breadth; when charged, two-thirds. |
Plate | A roundel tinctured argent |
Ploye | Bowed and bent |
Pommele | Having a pommel, as a sword or dagger |
Pose | Said of a lion, horse or other beast when represented standing still, with all four feet on the ground |
Potented | Applied to a bearing when the outer edges are T-shaped, or form into potents |
Prancing | Applied to a horse represented rearing |
Prey | At prey is applied to the falcon when represented feeding |
Preying | Applied to any beast or bird of prey when represented standing on and in a proper position for devouring its prey |
Pride | A term applied to the peacock, turkey cock and other birds which spread their tails in a circular form and drop their wings; as, "A peacock in his pride." |
Proper | Represented in its natural color. Said of charges; as, "a lion proper." |
Purpure | Purple. It is represented in engraving by diagional lines declining from the right top of the shield to the left base (from sinister chief to dexter base). |
Pye | The popinjay; the woodpecker |