Besague

Quick meaning: Besague is a noun meaning A kind of double-bladed axe.

Meaning

A kind of double-bladed axe.

More Meanings

1. A kind of martel or war-hammer, with its head(s) shaped like a pick, mattock, or beak.
2. A plate (as of armor) that protects an otherwise-exposed area, such as the armpit (alternative form of besagew), the elbow, or the hand

Example Sentences

These were clearly different from the besague (an axe with two edges) described in the Glossaries of Meyrick and Carpentier, in v. Besogium.

Under Henry IV. appeared a large martel, or hammer, called the Besague, apparently intended more for throwing than combat. In the reign of Edward IV. are found garnished spears, having a head called a coronal, a vamplate, or .

But none approaches in completeness the axe in the Liverpool Museum, which besides possessing the greater part of its original octagonal haft, still retains the besague for the protection of the advanced hand of its wielder, […]

... to escape the inference that it was evolved solely to avoid the inevitable and unpalatable conclusion that the pouldrons on the Metropolitan armour, and incidentally either the besague or the entire Riggs shaffron, were forgeries.

Word Forms

• besagues

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include bipennis, cheek, butt, tanto, corseque, makila.

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