What is "broad arrow"

Arrow \Ar"row\, n. [OE. arewe, AS. arewe, earh; akin to Icel. ["o]r, ["o]rvar, Goth. arhwazna, and perh. L. arcus bow. Cf. Arc.] A missile weapon of offense, slender, pointed, and usually feathered and barbed, to be shot from a bow. Broad arrow.

1. An arrow with a broad head.

2. A mark placed upon British ordnance and government stores, which bears a rude resemblance to a broad arrowhead.

Broad \Broad\ (br[add]d), a. [Compar. Broader (br[add]d"[~e]r); superl. Broadest.] [OE. brod, brad, AS. br[=a]d; akin to OS. br[=e]d, D. breed, G. breit, Icel. brei[eth]r, Sw. & Dan. bred, Goth. braids. Cf. Breadth.]

1. Wide; extend in breadth, or from side to side; -- opposed to narrow; as, a broad street, a broad table; an inch broad.

2. Extending far and wide; extensive; vast; as, the broad expanse of ocean.

3. Extended, in the sense of diffused; open; clear; full. ``Broad and open day.''
   --Bp. Porteus.

4. Fig.: Having a large measure of any thing or quality; not limited; not restrained; -- applied to any subject, and retaining the literal idea more or less clearly, the precise meaning depending largely on the substantive.

   A broad mixture of falsehood.
   --Locke.

   Note: Hence:

5. Comprehensive; liberal; enlarged.

   The words in the Constitution are broad enough to include the case.
   --D. Daggett.

   In a broad, statesmanlike, and masterly way.
   --E. Everett.

6. Plain; evident; as, a broad hint.

7. Free; unrestrained; unconfined.

   As broad and general as the casing air.
   --Shak.

8. (Fine Arts) Characterized by breadth. See Breadth.

9. Cross; coarse; indelicate; as, a broad compliment; a broad joke; broad humor.

10. Strongly marked; as, a broad Scotch accent.

    Note: Broad is often used in compounds to signify wide, large, etc.; as, broad-chested, broad-shouldered, broad-spreading, broad-winged.

    Broad acres. See under Acre.

    Broad arrow, originally a pheon. See Pheon, and Broad arrow under Arrow.

    As broad as long, having the length equal to the breadth; hence, the same one way as another; coming to the same result by different ways or processes.

    It is as broad as long, whether they rise to others, or bring others down to them.
    --L'Estrange.

    Broad pennant. See under Pennant.

    Syn: Wide; large; ample; expanded; spacious; roomy; extensive; vast; comprehensive; liberal.

1. n. an arrowhead mark identifying British government property

2. a mark shaped like an arrowhead; used to mark convicts' clothing

3. an arrow with a wide barbed head

A broad arrow (of which a pheon is a variety) is a type of arrow with a typically flat barbed head. It is a symbol used traditionally in heraldry, most notably in England, and later by the United Kingdom Government to mark government property.

Broad Arrow (designated as Pigeon - 41.BA.2793), was a messenger pigeon that was awarded the Dickin Medal in October 1945 for carrying messages for the National Pigeon Service.