Category:Ensign

En"sign, n. Etym: [L. enseigne, L. insignia, pl. of insigne a distinctive mark, badge, flag; in + signum mark, sign. See Sign, and cf. Insignia, 3d Ancient.]

1. A flag; a banner; a standard; esp., the national flag, or a banner indicating nationality, carried by a ship or a body of soldiers; -- as distinguished from flags indicating divisions of the army, rank of naval officers, or private signals, and the like. Hang up your ensigns, let your drums be still. Shak.

2. A signal displayed like a standard, to give notice. He will lift an ensign to the nations from far. Is. v. 26.

3. Sign; badge of office, rank, or power; symbol. The ensigns of our power about we bear. Waller.

4. (a) Formerly, a commissioned officer of the army who carried the ensign or flag of a company or regiment. (b) A commissioned officer of the lowest grade in the navy, corresponding to the grade of second lieutenant in the army. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

Note: In the British army the rank of ensign was abolished in 1871. In the United States army the rank is not recognized; the regimental flags being carried by a sergeant called the color sergeant. Ensign bearer, one who carries a flag; an ensign.

ensign En"sign, v. t.

1. To designate as by an ensign. [Obs.] Henry but joined the roses that ensigned Particular families. B. Jonson.

2. To distinguish by a mark or ornament; esp. (Her.), by a crown; thus, any charge which has a crown immediately above or upon it, is said to be ensigned.

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

Ensign - (1.) Heb. 'oth, a military standard, especially of a single tribe (Numbers 2:2). Each separate tribe had its own "sign" or "ensign." (2.) Heb. nes, a lofty signal, as a column or high pole (Numbers 21:8, Numbers 21:9); a standard or signal or flag placed on high mountains to point out to the people a place of rendezvous on the irruption of an enemy (Isaiah 5:26; Isaiah 11:12; Isaiah 18:3; Isaiah 62:10; Jeremiah 4:6, Jeremiah 4:21; Psalms 60:4). This was an occasional signal, and not a military standard. Elevation and conspicuous are implied in the word. (3.) The Hebrew word degel denotes the standard given to each of the four divisions of the host of the Israelites at the Exodus (Numbers 1:52; Numbers 2:2 : Numbers 10:14). In Song of Songs 2:4 it is rendered "banner." We have no definite information as to the nature of these military standards. (See BANNER.)