Pimbley's Dictionary of Heraldry - R

Ragged - [See RAGULY.]

Ragulated - [See RAGULY.]

Raguled - [See RAGULY.] Raguly - (ray-gul'y) Notched or jagged in an irregular diagonal manner. Said of a line or bearing having such an edge.

Rampant - (ramp'-ant) Said of a beast of prey, as a lion, rising with fore paws in the air., as if attacking. The right fore leg and the right hind leg should be raised higher than the left. Unless otherwise specified, the animal faces dexter.

COUNTER RAMPANT - Said of two animals rampant in opposite directions. (Sometimes used to denote a beast rampant toward sinister.)

RAMPANT GARDANT - The same as rampant, but with the animal looking full-faced.

RAMPANT PASSANT - Said of an animal when walking with the dexter fore paw raised somewhat higher then the mere passant position.

RAMPANT REGARDANT - In a rampant position and looking behind.

RAMPANT SEJANT - A beast in a sitting posture, with the fore legs raised.

Rangant - The same as FURIOSANT.

Range - (ran'-zhay) [French.] Arranged in order. 

Raping - Applied to any ravenous beast represented devouring its prey.

Ravissant - (rav'-is-sant) [French.] In a half-raised position, as if about to spring on prey. (Said of the wolf and such beasts when in the attitude saliant.)

Ray - A ray of the sun. [See SUN.]

Rayonee - [See RADIANT.]

Rayonnant - [See RADIANT.]

Rayonned - [See RADIANT.]

Razed - The same as ERASED.

Rebate - A diminution or abatement of a bearing, as when the point of a weapon is broken off, or a part of a cross is cut off.

Rebated - Having the points cut short or broken off.

Rebending - Bent first one way and then the other, like the letter S. [RECURVANT.]

Rebus - A pictorial suggestion on a coat of arms of the name of the owner; a bearing or bearings containing an allusion to the owner's name. Thus the Arches family bore three arches; the Dobell family, a doe between three bells. [See also Allusive Arms, under ARMS.]

Recercelee - [See Cross Recercelee, under CROSS.]

Reclinant - (re-klin'-ant) The same as DECLINANT. 

Recouped - The same as COUPED.

Rectangled - When the line of length is apparently cut off in its straightness by another straight line, which at the intersection makes a right angle, it is then termed rectangled.

Recursant - (re-kur'-sant) Said of an eagle displayed, with the back toward the spectator.

RECURSANT VOLANT IN PALE - An eagle represented flying upward, with its back toward the spectator.

Recurvant - (re-kurv'-ant) Curved and recurved like the letter S.

Red - This color in heraldry is known as GULES. 

Reflected - Curved or turned round, as the chain or line from the collar of an animal thrown over his back.

Regardant - Said of an animal whose face is turned toward the tail in an attitude of vigilance; looking backward. 

Reined - Said of a horse when the reins are of a different color from the animal. [BITTED.]

Removed - [See FRACTED.]

Rempli - (ran'-plee) [French.] Said of the chief when filled with any other color or metal, leaving only a border of the first tincture visible.

Renverse - (ren-vers') Reversed; turned contrary to the natural position; with the head down; set upside down; as, "A chevron renverse."

Repassant - (re-pass'-ant) A lion or other animal passant, facing the sinister side of the shield.

Some writers use this term to describe beasts passant, one facing dexter and the other sinister. In this connection see counter-passant, under COUNTER.

Reremouse - (rere'-mouse) A bat.

Reserved - Contrary to the usual way or position. 

Resignant - (rez'-ig-nant) [French] Concealed. Said of a lion when his tail cannot be seen.

Respectant - (re-spekt'-ant) Two animals borne face to face.

Rampant beasts of prey so borne are said to be combatant.

Rest - A bearing the origin and meaning of which have been disputed. By some it is said to represent a spear rest, and perhaps this is correct. By others it is taken for a musical instrument of some kind. Hence it is sometimes called an organ rest.

Retorted - Said of serpents when wreathed one in another, or fretted in the form of a knot.

Retracted - Applied to charges when one is shorter than the other.

Reversed - A coat of arms or escutcheon turned upside down. This was done by way of ignominy, as in the case of a traitor.

Revertant - Bent and rebent.

Reverted - Bent or curved twice in opposite directions, like the letter S; revertant.

Ribbon - A diminutive of the bend, being one-eighth its size, and often used as a difference. When couped or cut short it becomes a baton.

Richmond - One of the heralds of the College of Arms.

Ringed - Provided with a ring or rings. (Said of the falcon.)

In the days of falconry, it was the custom to slip over the claws of the young falcon a silver ring, which could not afterward be removed.

Rising - A bird represented as if in the act of taking flight; rising from the ground.

Rizon - (riz'on) The grain of oats.

Roach - A fish.

Rompee - [See ROMPU.]

Rompu - (rom'pu) Fracted; broken; parted asunder, as a chevron, bend, etc.

Rose - The Rose, which is popular in English heraldry, is generally borne singly and full-faced, with five petals, barbs and seeds.

Ross - One of the heralds of the Lord Lyon's Court, Scotland.

Rothesay - One of the heralds of the Lord Lyon's Court, Scotland.

Rondle - [See ROUNDEL.]

Rook - A rook in heraldry is the bird of that name common in Great Britain. It resembles the crow, but is smaller. When the piece in chess known as a rook is borne, it is blazoned a chess-rook. They are sometimes seen on the same arms, as in the case of Rook of Kent: Argent, on a chevron engrailed between three rooks sable, as many chess-rooks of the first.

Rouge Croix - (roozh' kroi) One of the pursuivants in the College of Arms.

Rouge Dragon - (roozh' drag'-on) One of the pursuivants in the College of Arms.

Roundel - A subordinary in the form of a circle. If of a metal it is a simple disk; if of a color, it is convex, half a globe. It takes its name from its color, unless in case of counter-changes, which follow the tinctures of the field, or when the roundel is of fur or of equal tinctures, as "a roundel ermine," "a roundel checky or and azure." Otherwise roundels have distinguishing names, according to their tinctures. They are seldom borne singly, and are as follows:

 

When or they are Bezants, 

When argent they are Plates, 

When gules they are Torteaux, 

When azure they are Hurts, 

When vert they are Pommes, 

When purpure they are Golpes, 

When sable they are Pellets, 

When tenne they are Oranges, 

When sanguine they are Guzes. 

FALSE ROUNDEL - This was a name given in early lists for the annulet. Thus the arms of Vipont were blazoned "Gules, six false roundels or."

Rousant - (rouz'-ant) Rising. Said of a bird in the attitude of rising; preparing to take flight. Sometimes this term is applied to a bird in profile, as a swan with wings addorsed.

Rowel - [See MULLET.]

Royal arms - [See Arms Royal, under ARMS.]

Rudented - The same as CABLED.

Rustre - (rus'-ter) A lozenge pierced round in the center, and exposing the field through it.