Part 685

For what is glory but the blaze of fame? Milton.

4. [Cf. D. bles; akin to E. blaze light.] A white spot on the forehead of a horse.

5. A spot made on trees by chipping off a piece of the bark, usually as a surveyor's mark.

Three blazes in a perpendicular line on the same tree indicating a legislative road, the single blaze a settlement or neighborhood road. Carlton.

In a blaze, on fire; burning with a flame; filled with, giving, or reflecting light; excited or exasperated. -- Like blazes, furiously; rapidly. "The horses did along like blazes tear." Poem in Essex dialect.

In low language in the U. S., blazes is frequently used of something extreme or excessive, especially of something very bad; as, blue as blazes. Neal.

Syn. -- Blaze, Flame. A blaze and a flame are both produced by burning gas. In blaze the idea of light rapidly evolved is prominent, with or without heat; as, the blaze of the sun or of a meteor. Flame includes a stronger notion of heat; as, he perished in the flames.

Blaze, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Blazed (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Blazing.] 1. To shine with flame; to glow with flame; as, the fire blazes.

2. To send forth or reflect glowing or brilliant light; to show a blaze.

And far and wide the icy summit blazed. Wordsworth.

3. To be resplendent. Macaulay.

To blaze away, to discharge a firearm, or to continue firing; -- said esp. of a number of persons, as a line of soldiers. Also used (fig.) of speech or action. [Colloq.]

Blaze, v. t. 1. To mark (a tree) by chipping off a piece of the bark.

I found my way by the blazed trees. Hoffman.

2. To designate by blazing; to mark out, as by blazed trees; as, to blaze a line or path.

Champollion died in 1832, having done little more than blaze out the road to be traveled by others. Nott.

Blaze, v. t. [OE. blasen to blow; perh. confused with blast and blaze a flame, OE. blase. Cf. Blaze, v. i., and see Blast.] 1. To make public far and wide; to make known; to render conspicuous.

On charitable lists he blazed his name. Pollok.

To blaze those virtues which the good would hide. Pope.

2. (Her.) To blazon. [Obs.] Peacham.

Blaz"er (&?;), n. One who spreads reports or blazes matters abroad. "Blazers of crime." Spenser.

Blaz"ing, a. Burning with a blaze; as, a blazing fire; blazing torches. Sir W. Scott.

Blazing star. (a) A comet. [Obs.] (b) A brilliant center of attraction. (c) (Bot.) A name given to several plants; as, to Chamælirium luteum of the Lily family; Liatris squarrosa; and Aletris farinosa, called also colicroot and star grass.

Bla"zon (&?;), n. [OE. blason, blasoun, shield, fr. F. blason coat of arms, OF. shield, from the root of AS. blæse blaze, i. e., luster, splendor, MHG. blas torch See Blaze, n.] 1. A shield. [Obs.]

2. An heraldic shield; a coat of arms, or a bearing on a coat of arms; armorial bearings.

Their blazon o'er his towers displayed. Sir W. Scott.

3. The art or act of describing or depicting heraldic bearings in the proper language or manner. Peacham.

4. Ostentatious display, either by words or other means; publication; show; description; record.