Forms: 4–7 bage, 5–7 bagge, 7 badg, 5– badge. [First in ME.: also in 15th c. Anglo-Lat. bagia, bagea, from the vernacular word. Also OF. bage: a single instance in Godefroy, of date 1465. Of unknown origin. See conjectures in Mätzner, Wedgwood, Müller, Skeat.]
1. A distinctive device, emblem, or mark, used originally to identify a knight or distinguish his followers (= cognizance in Her.), and now worn as a sign of office or licensed employment, as a token of membership in some society, etc., etc.
c. 1350. Alexander (St.), 4180. [The fire] tinds on tend lowe trappour of stede … Bages and baners it blemyschid.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 20/2. Bage, or bagge of armys, Banidium.
c. 1450[?]. MS. Lincoln A i. 17 lf. 141 (Halliw.). He beris of golde a semely sighte, His bagges are sabylle ylkane.
1485. Caxton, Paris & V. (1868), 8. Came to the lystes with their badges and tokens.
1530. Palsgr., Badge of a gentylman—la deuise dung seignevr.
1513–75. Diurn. Occurr. (1833), 158. My lord regentis armes and bage.
1618. Rowlands, Sacr. Mem., 50. The Crosse, which Christians for their badge do weare.
1678. Trans. Crt. Spain, 131. To wear a badg that they may beg alms.
1800. Colquhoun, Comm. Thames, xi. 328. They have their names and numbers on a metal Badge.
1879. Dixon, Windsor, II. xv. 161. She tore the Lancastrian badges from her clothes.
2. gen. A distinguishing ‘sign,’ emblem, token, or symbol of any kind: a. transf. of things material.
1526. Tindale, Acts xxviii. 11. Whose badge was Castor and Pollux.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., IV. iii. 113. The Liuer white, and pale; which is the Badge of Pusillanimitie, and Cowardize.
1705. Lond. Gaz., No. 4140/4. The Badges or Marks put on Houses Insured by the Friendly Society.
1774. J. Bryant, Mythol., I. 62. A brazier of live coals carried before him as a badge of his office.
1872. Freeman, Norm. Conq., IV. xviii. 104. The fortresses, the special badges of foreign rule.
b. fig. of things immaterial.
1529. More, Supplic. Soules, Wks. 314/1. The deuils badge … ye badge we meane of malice & of a very deadli deuilish hate.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., I. i. 111. For suffrance is the badge of all our Tribe.
1719. W. Wood, Surv. Trade, 295. Monopolies, the Badges of a slavish People.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Org., § 6. 237. The degrees have become social badges.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., I. vii. 167. The possession of land has become the badge of freedom.
3. Naval Arch. (See quot.)
1769. in Falconer, Dict. Marine.
c. 1850. Rudim. Nav. (Weale), 94. Badge, a sort of ornament fixed on the quarters of small vessels near the stern, containing either a sash for the convenience of the cabin, or the representation of it.
1857. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., s.v., Quarter badges, false quarter-galleries in imitation of frigate-built ships.
4. Comb., as badge-ticket; badge-man, one who wears a badge, a licensed beggar or almsman.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., Wks. V. 352. No man ever … will glory in belonging to the Chequer No. 71, or to any other badge-ticket.
1809. Crabbe, Tales, 16. With thickset coat of Badge-man’s blue.
