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Coat of Arms - Charges D-F

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Dagger	The symbol of victory, justice, and military honor.
Decrescent	A crescent with horns to the sinister (backwards). Represents one who has been honored by the sovereign. A hope of greater glory.
Deer	The deer/stag has a variety of symbolic meanings. It can indicate someone who is a lover of peace and harmony. It may also indicate a person who foresees opportunities well. In the latter case it is a symbol used for one who will not fight unless provoked. The stag or hart is also an emblem of purity and fleetness. The stag was associated with healing, for he knew which medicinal plants to take in order to shake off the hunter's arrow. The person bearing this symbol was considered impervious to weapons. In Ireland the stag was one of the most ancient of charges and was regarded as the most handsome. The stag represents the very ancestors of the Celtic race. See also BUCK , STAG, and HART. See HIND for the female deer.
Dice	Symbolizes constancy, wisdom, verity, probity and equity.
Dog	The dog is the emblem of faithfulness and guardianship. Dogs were considered loyal and temperate and the dog is a symbol of a skilled hunter. They are symbols of courage, vigilance and loyal fidelity. Sometimes dogs were associated with priests, since priests were watchdogs against the Devil. Dogs of different names may appear on coats of arms. The leverer or levrier is the oldest name; the talbot is an English hound. Also found are bloodhounds, greyhounds, mastiffs, spaniels and terriers.
Dolphin	The dolphin is an emblem of safe travel, as well as kindness and charity, particularly to children. It is also believed to represent swiftness, diligence, salvation and love. Older heralds considered it the king of fish, just as the lion was king of the beasts and the eagle was king of the birds.
Donkey	Represents patience and humility. The donkey/ass may also be associated with one who fulfills their Christian duty.
Dove	The dove is a symbol of the soul and of the Holy Spirit. It signifies peace, gentleness and purity. In armory, the dove signifies loving, constancy and peace. The dove is always depicted with a slight tuft on its head, possibly to distinguish it from a wood-pigeon, which is very similar. A dove is often shown with an olive branch in its beak, representing the harbinger of good tidings. The dove is frequently found in the arms granted to Bishops. In Ireland the dove is regarded as the bird of God.
Dragon	A dragon is supposed to have a keen sight, which enables it to guard treasures well. It is also said to be the most valiant of creatures; therefore, the dragon is a symbol of a most valiant defender of treasure. Dragons were perceived as powerful, protective and fearsome, and they were valued for their warlike qualities.
Drops (Gouttes)	Symbolic of one who has endured torrents of liquids as in the course of battle. The type of liquid is determined by the color of the drops: Or (yellow) = gold Azure (blue) = tears Vert (green) = oil Argent (white or silver) = water Sable (black) = tar or pitch Gules (red) = blood See also GOUTTES
Duck	Ducks can elude their enemies in many ways, either by flying, running, swimming or diving for cover; therefore, they are a symbol for a person of many resources. Ducks may be referred to by many names such as drake, mallard, teal, eider-duck, moorhen, and sheldrake. See also GANNET and MARTLET.
Eagle	The eagle symbolizes a man of action, occupied with high and weighty affairs. It was given to those of lofty spirit, ingenuity, quick wit, speedy in apprehension and judicious in matters of ambiguity. The wings signify protection, and the gripping talons symbolize ruin to evildoers. The eagle is believed to represent a noble nature, strength & bravery. The eagle is also associated with the sun. As a Christian symbol, the eagle represents salvation, redemption and resurrection. In Ireland it was regarded as one of the "demons of the air", making it a very powerful symbol.
Eagle - 2 Headed	Symbolic of the protector. Also the joining of two forces.
Elephant	The elephant, its head or tusks, is considered a symbol of huge strength and stature, wisdom, courage, longevity, happiness, royalty, good luck, and ambition.
Enfield	The enfield is a mythical beast with the head and ears of a fox, chest of a greyhound, forelegs of an eagle, body of a lion, and hind legs and tail of a wolf. It is said to have protected a fallen chieftain's body until proper burial.
Escallop	Before the days of heraldry, the symbol was the emblem of St. James, the patron saint of pilgrims. Consequently, the escallop became a badge worn by all pilgrims attached to hook or hat. In armory it signifies a soldier who had made long journeys or voyages to far countries, or gained great victories. It is an emblem of safe travel. It is also an emblem of fidelity because its shells, once separated, can never be rejoined.
Escarbuncle	The escarbuncle is a symbol of supremacy. In ancient warfare iron bands stemming from the center and radiating outwards were used to strengthen the shield for better protection in battle. Over time the pattern made by these bands was adopted as a charge and called in heraldic terms an escarbuncle. It is also a representation of a brilliant gem.
Escutcheon of Pretense	This is a small shield in the center of the primary shield. It represents the claim of a prince to sovereignty or marriage to an heiress of the family.
Eye	An eye signifies providence in government.
Falcon	The falcon or hawk signified someone who was hot or eager in the pursuit of an object much desired and did not rest until the objective was achieved. It is frequently found in the coats of arms of nobility, from the time when the falcon played an important social role in the sport of kings and nobles. See also HAWK.
Fasces	The fasces consists of a bundle of polished rods bound around a battle-axe. It symbolized one who may have been in control and had the power over life and death.
Feathers	Feathers are a very common charge in heraldry, which is not surprising considering that, during a tournament, helmets were more frequently ornamented with feathers than with family crests. Consequently, the plume, which is a grouping of five feathers. became the actual, inheritable family crest for many families. Feathers signify willing obedience and serenity of mind.
fer de moline	A fer de moline, or mill-rind is the iron clamp in the center of a grindstone that provides support and is used to turn it. It represents industry and purpose and may also have been used as the sign of a miller. It is sometimes referred to as a "miller's cross. See also MILLRIND.
Fesse	The fesse is a broad, horizontal band across the center of the shield that represents the military belt and girdle of honor of a knight. It signifies that the bearer must always be in readiness to act for the well being of the people.
Fetterlock	Some state that the fetterlock is a device for hobbling horses while others say that it is a handcuff or a prisoner's bolt. Whichever it is, it is an emblem of victory. It may have represented someone who had taken his enemy prisoner, or who could, by either his prowess or his charity, redeem any of his fellow soldiers ransomed in captivity. It is also referred to as a shacklebolt, shackbolt or manacle.
Fireball	The symbol of the fireball was bestowed on those who had endured terror while under siege or in battle. It also may signify that the first bearer was an artilleryman, or that he had survived the danger of bombshells in battle. The cannon is a figure in more recent grants of arms with the same symbolic meaning. See also GRENADE.
Fish	Fish are symbols of prowess and fortitude. They are also symbols of the forces of industry and science, and emblems of the Christian faith of the bearer, especially in early coats of arms. A fish represents a true, generous mind and one who is virtuous of himself, not because of his heritage.
Flag	A flag differs from a banner in that it is elongated while a banner is square. It represents a special encounter in which bearer was captured. Or can represent a reward for valiant service.
Flames	Flames are held to signify zeal, as one may be consumed by zeal as by flames. Flames are also a symbol of passion, spiritual energy, rebirth and purification. Flames have often been used as a torture and therefore may signify one who has undergone severe trials.
Flaunches	Flaunches are segments of a circle with a large diameter that project into the field from either side of the shield. They are always shown in pairs. Flaunches were granted by sovereigns as a reward for virtue and learning, especially for services as an ambassador.
Fleam	The fleam was the barber-surgeon's knife used for bleeding people to let the poison out of their systems, in the belief that it would help them to recover from whatever ailed them. It is a symbol for a physician or surgeon. It may also represent one who was a farrier and would have bled horses to cure their illnesses.
Fleece	Represents an ancient honor from the Knightly Order of the Fleece of Gold.
Fleur de lis	Represents a stylized form of the lily. It is the floral badge of France and is known as the "flower of light." It may represent one who fought for France - or against France. It also became an emblem of political power in France. The fleur de lis represents the Virgin Mary. In Ireland the fleur-de-lis often has a Christian significance. It may also represent the sixth son. See also LILY.
Flint	Flint, or flintstone, and steel were the ancient components necessary for producing fire. They symbolize the bearer's readiness for zealous service.
Flowers	The symbol of hope and joy.
Fly	The fly is a bearer of pestilence, and may have been adopted as a symbol to ward off evil and pestilence.
Fountain	The heraldic fountain is a roundel, or a circle, crossed with wavy bands of blue and white. It represents a pool or spring of pure water and was a symbol of purification.
Fox	The fox was a common symbol for the devil during the middle ages. One of the oldest tales about the fox describes it feigning death in order to trap fowl. Thus the symbol of the fox is a reminder of the devil tempting man and a warning to the bearer to stay alert and resist temptation. It is also a symbol of one who will use all his shrewdness, sagacity, wit or wisdom for his own defense.
Fret	The fret has been called the "heraldic true lover's knot". It signifies persuasion.
Frogs	Also referred to as toads, tadpoles, or powets. Used occasionally in English heraldry, but not found in French heraldry. Represents rapid determination
Fusil	The fusil represents a spindle formerly used in spinning, and it is an ancient symbol of labor and industry. It may also symbolize travel. See also YARN FUSIL.