An escutcheon is the shield on which a family paints its coat of arms — the special picture that stands for that family, such as a lion, a cross, or a ship. You see them in old European halls, on gates, and in history books.

An escutcheon一個escutcheon is是 the shield那面盾牌, on which家族把家徽畫在上面的 a family paints its coat of arms — the special picture那幅特殊的圖案 that stands for代表 that family那個家族, such as像是 a lion一隻獅子, a cross一個十字, or或 a ship一艘船. You你 see them會看到它們 in old European halls在古老的歐洲大廳裡, on gates在大門上, and和 in history books歷史書裡.

Though actually, English also uses escutcheon for a small metal plate around a keyhole, a door handle, or a pipe where it meets the wall; that plate is shield-shaped, so the same word stretched.

Though actually不過事實上, English英語 also也 uses escutcheon用escutcheon這個字 for a small metal plate指一個小金屬牌 around a keyhole在鎖孔周圍, a door handle門把, or或 a pipe管線 where it meets the wall接觸牆面的地方; that plate那塊牌子 是shield-shaped是盾牌形狀的, so所以 the same word同一個字 stretched延伸了意思.

There is an old, rather formal phrase, “a blot on one’s escutcheon,” meaning a shameful mark on a family’s good name.

There有 is an old, rather formal phrase一句老派而正式的說法, a blot on one's escutcheon, meaning意思是 a shameful mark一個丟臉的污點 on a family's good name在一個家族的好名聲上.

The word itself sounds old and fancy; you will not hear it much in the street. In class, start with the coat-of-arms shield.

The word這個字 itself本身 sounds聽起來 old and fancy老派又講究; you你 will not hear it不會常聽到它 much in the street在街上. In class在課堂上, start先從 with the coat-of-arms shield家徽盾牌開始.