Forms: 4, 6 an-, as-, ensenȝe, -ȝhe, -ye, -yhe, 4 ensaigne, 5–7 ensigne, 5 ensygne, 6 enseigne, essenȝe, (6 insigne, 8 insign), 6– ensign. See also ANCIENT sb.2, INSIGNE. [a. OF. enseigne, enseine, ensaigne, ansigne, corresp. to Pr. enseigna, ensegna, essenha, Cat. insignia, It. insegna:—L. īnsignia, pl. of īnsigne, neut. of īnsignis adj., f. in + signum sign.
The INSIGNE used in sense 4 by some writers late in 18th c. and in 19th is prob. intended as Lat., and is therefore treated as a distinct word.]
† 1. A signal; a rallying or battle-cry, watchword. Chiefly Sc. Obs.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 378. Hys assenȝhe gan he cry. Ibid., V. 323. His ensenȝhe mycht heir him cry.
c. 1450. Merlin, x. 161. The Duke … cride his ensigne.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 3347. Thar essenȝeis lowd thai gon to cry.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VII. ix. 86. The hyrdis ensenȝe loud wp trumpis sche.
2. A sign, token, characteristic mark. arch.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, 85. Entyse them to lawghe and jape by ony dysordynate ensignes or tokenes. Ibid. (1491), Vitas Patr. (W. de W., 1495), I. i. 3 a/1. In exposynge to hym very ensygnes of his vysage and clothynge.
1609. B. Jonson, Sil. Wom., III. vi. (1612), H 1 b. We see no Ensignes of a Wedding here.
1632. Massinger & Field, Fatal Dowry, I. i. Are these the ensigns of so coarse a fellow?
1644. Jus Pop., 48. The prime ensignes of Majestie, which consists in making Laws.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., xii. 132. The Beard is the ensigne of manhood.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. 84. From these three strong marks and ensigns of superiority.
1830. Gen. P. Thompson, Exerc. (1842), I. 206. A well-dressed man, with all the ensigns of respectability and good-fellowship about him.
¶ humorously. Cf. 5 and Fr. enseigne signboard.
1854. Thackeray, Newcomes, I. 90. There was never a card in her window, whilst those ensigns in her neighbours’ houses would remain exposed … for months together.
3. A conventional sign; an emblem, badge.
1579. E. K., Gloss. Spenser’s Sheph. Cal., April, 123. The Oliue was wont to be the ensigne of peace.
1665. G. Havers, P. della Valle’s Trav. E. India, 46. Whether this fillet … was a badge of Religion, or onely an Ensign of piety.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 55, ¶ 4. My mother appeared again without the ensigns of sorrow.
1825. Miss Mitford, in L’Estrange, Life, II. x. 209. She left those ensigns of authority, the keys, in his possession.
1860. Abp. Thomson, Laws Th., § 22. 33. The Sculptor raises a tomb, and covers it with the ensigns of piety and death.
4. esp. A badge or symbol of dignity or office; chiefly pl. = L. insignia; also, heraldic arms or bearings.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VII. iv. 53. Sceptour and croun, And of justice wthir ensenȝeis seyr.
1536. Act 28 Hen. VIII., c. 16 § 3. Thoffice … of an archebyshop … with all tokens, insignes and ceremonies thereunto lawfully belongyng.
1676. Hobbes, Iliad, I. 15. Having in his hands the Ensigne meet … A Golden Scepter and a Crown of Bays.
1691. Lond. Gaz., No. 2653/3. Then the King put on the Blue Ribon with the George, Garter King at Arms reading the usual Admonitions upon the putting on each of the said Ensigns.
1710. Palmer, Proverbs, 359. The ornaments and insigns of a family.
1750. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, II. 125. There is nothing … but a black marble table, ornamented with ensigns armorial.
1772. Ann. Reg., 77/2. A new order was instituted by her Danish Majesty … the ensign of which is a cypher of her Majesty’s name.
1776. Gibbon, Decl. & F., I. xvi. 428. A white robe was the ensign of their dignity.
1873. Tristram, Moab, xii. 226. Two fine Saker falcons … his pets, the ensign and crest of his tribe.
5. A military or naval standard; a banner, flag.
In British nautical use applied spec. to a flag with a white, blue or red field, and the union in the corner. Since 1864 the ensign of the Royal Navy and the Royal Yacht Squadron has been white, that of the naval reserve, of ships in the service of public offices, and of certain yacht clubs, blue, and the ‘merchant ensign’ red. (See Encycl. Brit., ed. 9 s.v. Flag.)
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 1200. And that was he that bare the ensaigne Of worship.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XI. ix. 45. Charge thame thar ensenȝeis for to rais on hycht.
1591. Garrard, Art Warre, 65. The valiant Alfierus with his ensigne in one hand and his sword in another.
a. 1656. Bp. Hall, Occas. Medit., 79. We are wont to fight cheerfully under this ensign abroad.
1707. Royal Proclam., 28 July, in Lond. Gaz., No. 4356/1. We have … thought fit … to Order and Appoint the Ensign Described on the … Margent hereof, to be worn on Board all Ships.
1838. Hist. Record 3rd Regt. Foot, 27. And each Company had a colour which was designated an ensign.
1848. M. Arnold, Poems (1877), I. 85. I still bear on The conquering Tartar ensigns through the world.
b. transf.
1611. Chapman, Iliad, VI. 175/87. Lycia, where Xanthus doth display The siluer ensignes of his waues.
a. 1678. Marvell, Poems, 26. Then flowers their drowsy eyelids raise, Their silken ensigns each displays.
† 6. A body of men serving under one banner; a company, troop. Sometimes used to render the L. cohors or ordo. Obs.
The number of men in an ‘ensign’ seems to have varied from 100 to 500.
1552. in Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. II. x. 328. The Bishops of Colen and Treves … did send unto the Emperor 1500 horse, and six ensigns of foot.
1581. Savile, Tacitus’ Hist., Annot. (1591), 51. The Hastati were diuided againe into ten Enseignes, or ordines.
1584. Balnavis, Lett., in Keith, Hist. Ch. & State Scotl. (1734), App. 44 (Jam.). The Payment of our Futemen extendis monethlie everie Ansenye (whiche ar now sex in Number) to 290 l. Sterl.
1590. Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, 8 b. Our English milicia of footmen manie yeares past, did consist of bands but of 100. to an Ensigne. Ibid., 9 b. At which time their bands did consist of fiue hundred to euerie Ensigne.
1600. Holland, Livy, II. xi. 51. Valerius … set forth from mount Cœlius certaine ensignes [cohortes] of his best and choice souldiors.
1650. R. Stapylton, Strada’s Low-C. Warres, VI. 17. She commanded Count Mansfeldt to goe before with 16 ensignes, of her best Foote.
7. The soldier who carries the ensign; a standard-bearer. See ANCIENT sb.2 Formerly commissioned officers of the lowest grade in the infantry bore this title, which has been replaced by that of sub-lieutenant.
1513–75. Diurn. Occurr. (1833), 225. Alexander Bog ansenyie to capitane Daniel Meluile with the said enseynie, and lxx suddartis.
1579. Digges, Stratiot., 89. Let the Ensigne be a man of good accompte.
1677. W. Hubbard, Narrative, 18–9. Ensign Savage, that young Martial Spark.
1682. Bunyan, Holy War, 51. His Ensign was Mr. Thunder.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), I. 309. The sons of many of the noblest and wealthiest families are ensigns and lieutenants.
1846. M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), II. 559. The mortality of captains from battle is double that of ensigns.
8. † a. transl. Fr. enseigne de vaisseau, midshipman (obs.). b. In the U.S. navy, the designation of the lowest rank of commissioned officers.
1708. Lond. Gaz., No. 4420/7. Mr. de Villeville, Ensign of the Ship.
1886. Encycl. Amer., III. 819. Officers of the Navy … Ensign, ranking with Second Lieutenant in the Army.
9. Comb., as ensign-staff (in sense 5).
1707. Lond. Gaz., No. 4380/2. His Boltsprit carried away our Ensign-Staff.
1799. Naval Chron., I. 269. Nailed the Flag to the ensign staff.
