- IN ABEYANCE
- The term used when a flag or office is no longer in current use, but which may be re-introduced at some
future date – see the second note following ‘flag captain’; also
‘broad command pennant 2)’ and
‘rank flag 1)’).
Rank Flag of a Marshal of France (fotw); Former First Class Commodore’s
Broad Pennant, UK
Please note that two examples would be the rank flag of Marshal of France (which office has no extant holder) and the broad pennant of a commodore first class (a rank in abeyance since 1958.
- IN ANNULO
- The heraldic term used when a series of objects are set equidistant around a central point –
see ‘annulet’ and
‘conjoined’ (also
‘orled 3)’ and ‘rosette’).
Flag of Ulvik, Norway (fotw); Flag of
Samnanger, Norway (fotw);
Flag of Hemne, Norway (fotw)
- IN BASE
- The heraldic term used when a charge or charges appear in the lower part of a shield, banner
of arms or flag – see
‘base 1)’ (also
‘abased’, ‘banner of arms’, and
‘shield’).
- IN BEND
- The heraldic term used when an object, charge or charges on a shield, a banner of
arms or any quartering thereof are placed diagonally from top left to bottom right
across the field – but see ‘bendwise 2) (also ‘banner of arms’, ‘bend’,
and ‘per bend’ and
‘quartering 1)’).
Flag of Nidfurn, Switzerland (fotw);
Flag of Surrey, UK (fotw);
Flag of Benken, Switzerland (fotw)
- IN BEND SINISTER
- The heraldic term used when an object, charge or charges on a shield, a
banner of arms or any quartering thereof are placed diagonally from bottom
left to top left right across the field – but see ‘bendwise 2)
(also ‘banner of arms’, ‘bend sinister’,
‘per bend sinister’
and ‘quartering 1)’).
Flag of Luzein, Switzerland (fotw);
Flag of Wallisellen, Switzerland (fotw);
Flag of Wolfenchiessen, Switzerland (fotw)
- IN CHIEF
- 1) The heraldic term used when a charge or charges appear in the upper part of a shield, banner of arms or flag – see ‘chief’
(also ‘banner of arms’, ‘enhanced’ and
‘shield’).
2) In English naval usage now obsolete, a term officially employed to describe a charge placed in the upper hoist canton
– see ‘canton 2)’.
Villiers, Switzerland (fotw); English Red Ensign c1625 – 1707 (fotw)
- IN COMMISSION
- In British RN, USN and some other usage, the phrase used to describe a warship that is active, manned and ready for combat
– see ‘masthead pennant 1)’.
Commissioning Pennant of South Africa (fotw)
- IN FESS
- The heraldic term used when an object, charge or charges on a shield, a banner of
arms or any quartering thereof appear in a horizontal
position – but see ‘fesswise 2)’ and the note below (also ‘banner of arms’, ‘fess’,
‘per fess’ and
‘quartering 1)’).
Flag of Rio de Moinhos, Portugal (fotw);
Flag of Bilje, Croatia (fotw);
Flag of Açoreira, Portugal (fotw)
Please note charges can be arranged in fess but orientated palewise
as per the examples below, with would be blazoned as ‘three shovels
palewise in fess’.
Flag and Arms of Siljan, Norway (fotw)
- IN PALE
- A heraldic term used when the charges on a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof are arranged one above the other, or when an individual charge is seen in the vertical – but see ‘palewise 2)’ (also
‘banner of arms’, ‘pale’, and ‘per pale’
and ‘quartering 1)’).
Flag of Stankovci, Croatia (fotw);
Flag of Mandal, Norway (fotw);
Flag of West-Friesland, The Netherlands (fotw)
- IN PALL
- The heraldic term used when the charges on a shield, a banner of arms or a flag are arranged in the form of a pall – see
‘pall 2)’ and ‘per pall’.
Flag of Sor-Odal, Norway (fotw);
Flag of Masfjorden, Norway (fotw);
Flag of Lavangen, Norway (fotw)
- IN SALTIRE
- The heraldic term used when two separate objects or charges are placed
across each other diagonally on a flag, shield or banner of arms – saltirewise
(see also ‘banner of arms’, ‘saltire’ and
‘per saltire’.
Arms of Babimost, Poland (fotw);
Flag of Biel/Bienne, Switzerland (fotw);
Flag of Milíkov, Czechia (fotw);
- INACTIVE
- In vexillology a term that may be used to describe when the rays of a star or sun emblem, or a radiating
stripe, are straight-edged – see ‘active’ (also
‘active and inactive’,
‘radiating’,
‘rays 1)’ and
‘star’ and its following note,
‘sun emblem’ and
‘sunburst’).
![[inactive example]](../images/v/vxt-d3503.gif)
![[inactive example]](../images/v/vxt-d1741.gif)
![[inactive example]](../images/v/vxt-d2825.gif)
National Flag of Antigua-Barbuda (fotw);
Flag of Sarawak, Malaysia (fotw);
Flag of Bodø¸, Norway (fotw)
- INCENSED
- 1) The heraldic term for when a wild beast has fire issuing from its mouth or eyes.
- 2) A term sometimes incorrectly used in place of ‘inflamed’ – see ‘inflamed’
and the note below.
Arms and Flag of Gorlice, Poland (fotw)
Please note that in English heraldry only a wild beast should be described as “incensed”, and that other charges are “inflamed”.
- INCLINED FLY
- A term used when the fly of a flag is cut diagonally so that the upper length
of the flag is greater than its lower length – a type largely limited to Central
Europe (see also ‘length 1)’,
‘schwenkel’ and
‘swallow-tail(ed)’).
![[inclined fly flag]](../images/v/vxt-d175.gif)
![[inclined fly flag]](../images/v/vxt-d175a.gif)
Flag of Jarocin County, Poland (fotw); Flag of
Pleszew County,
Poland (fotw)
Please note that this is not an established term, but has been introduced by the Editors since no suitable
(or suitably descriptive) alternative could be found.
- INCRESCENT (or INCREMENT)
- In heraldry see ‘moon 2)’ with following note.
Flag of Oron-la-Ville, Switzerland (fotw)
- INDENTED
- 1) The heraldic term used when the edge of an ordinary or the partition
line on a shield, banner of arms or flag is notched as in ‘dancetty’ but with smaller/narrower teeth - endented.
2) See ‘embattled’).
Flag of Ulstein, Norway (fotw);
Arms and Flag of Wunstorf, Germany (fotw)
- INDENTED EDGE
- See ‘scalloped 1)’.
![[indented edge example]](../images/v/vxt-d2747.gif)
![[indented edge example]](../images/v/vxt-d1529.gif)
Two Merchant Flags, Portugal 16th/17th Century (fotw)
- INDENTATION(S)
- A term that may be used to describe the shape remaining at the fly of a flag or pennant where that
fly has been cut into two or more tails - see ‘swallow-tail(ed)’ (also
‘hussar cut’,
‘palm’, ‘pennant 2)’,
‘swallow-tail and tongue’ and
‘tongues’).
Flag of Banská Bystrica, Slovakia (fotw); Flag of
Bojná, Slovakia (fotw)
- INDEPEDENTIST(S) FLAG
- See
‘flag of a separatist movement’).
Flag of the Sulawesi Separatist Movement, Indonesia (fotw)
- INDIVIDUAL FLAG.
- In U.S. army usage, the flag denoting an officer's rank – see
‘rank flag 1)’
(also ‘distinguishing flag 3)’,
‘flag of command’ and
‘personal flag 4)’).
Individual/Rank Flag of a Brigadier General, US Army (fotw)
- INDOOR FLAG
- A flag made expressly for display inside a building and sometimes fringed.
It is often made from more costly materials, is enhanced by embroidered detail, and is fitted
with a sleeve for attachment to a staff – a dress flag or flag of ceremony (see
also ’ceremonial flag 1)’,
‘cord’,
‘embroider’,
‘flag spreader’,
‘fringe’, ‘sleeve 2)’,
‘staff 2)’ and
‘tassels’).
Indoor Flag of The Secretary of Agriculture, US (fotw);
Indoor Flag of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, US (fotw);
Indoor Flag of The Secretary of The Interior, US (fotw)
- INESCUTCHEON
- The heraldic term for one shield appearing within another (usually – but
not invariably – at its centre point) “a heart shield” but see notes below (also ‘banner of arms’,
‘coat of arms’
‘escutcheon’,
‘escutcheon of pretence 1)’,
‘escutcheon of pretence 2)’,
‘overall’
and ‘quartering 1)’).
Flag of Friedrichstadt, Germany (fotw);
Flag of Kalkar, Germany (fotw);
Flag of Varaždin County, Croatia (fotw)
Notes
a) Please note that some heraldic sources propose that this term should also be used when more than one shield appears within another, but it is suggested that a suitable glossary or heraldic dictionary should be consulted for further information.
b) However, one further (authoritative) source states that an inescutcheon should be placed on or near the fess-point, and that the term “escutcheon” be used for any that are seen in another position – see ‘honour-point 2)’.
- INFLAMED
- The heraldic term used when a charge is shown with flames coming from it –
ardent, enflamed or flamed – but see ‘incensed 1)’
(also ‘flamant’).
Flag of Lugaggia, Switzerland (fotw);
Flag of Gornja Stubica,
Croatia (fotw);
Flag of Geroldswil, Switzerland (fotw)
![[indented edge example]](../images/v/vxt-d1527.gif)
