What is "herald"

Herald \Her"ald\, n. [OE. herald, heraud, OF. heralt, heraut, herault, F. h['e]raut, LL. heraldus, haraldus, fr. (assumed) OHG. heriwalto, hariwaldo, a (civil) officer who serves the army; hari, heri, army + waltan to manage, govern, G. walten; akin to E. wield. See Harry, Wield.]

1. (Antiq.) An officer whose business was to denounce or proclaim war, to challenge to battle, to proclaim peace, and to bear messages from the commander of an army. He was invested with a sacred and inviolable character.

2. In the Middle Ages, the officer charged with the above duties, and also with the care of genealogies, of the rights and privileges of noble families, and especially of armorial bearings. In modern times, some vestiges of this office remain, especially in England. See Heralds' College (below), and King-at-Arms.

3. A proclaimer; one who, or that which, publishes or announces; as, the herald of another's fame.
   --Shak.

4. A forerunner; a a precursor; a harbinger.

   It was the lark, the herald of the morn.
   --Shak.

5. Any messenger. ``My herald is returned.''
   --Shak.

   Heralds' College, in England, an ancient corporation, dependent upon the crown, instituted or perhaps recognized by Richard III. in 1483, consisting of the three Kings-at-Arms and the Chester, Lancaster, Richmond, Somerset, Windsor, and York Heralds, together with the Earl Marshal. This retains from the Middle Ages the charge of the armorial bearings of persons privileged to bear them, as well as of genealogies and kindred subjects; -- called also College of Arms.

Herald \Her"ald\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Heralded; p. pr. & vb. n. Heralding.] [Cf. OF. herauder, heraulder.] To introduce, or give tidings of, as by a herald; to proclaim; to announce; to foretell; to usher in.
--Shak.

late 13c. (in Anglo-Latin); c.1200 as a surname, "messenger, envoy," from Anglo-French heraud, Old French heraut, hiraut (12c.), perhaps from Frankish *hariwald "commander of an army," from Proto-Germanic *harja "army" (from PIE root *koro- "war;" see harry) + *waldaz "to command, rule" (see wield). The form fits, but the sense evolution is difficult to explain, unless in reference to the chief officer of a tournament, who introduced knights and made decisions on rules (which was one of the early senses, often as heraud of armes, though not the earliest in English).

late 14c., "to sound the praises of," from herald (n.). Related: Heralded; heralding.

n. 1 A messenger, especially one bringing important news. 2 A harbinger, giving signs of things to come. 3 (context heraldry English) An official whose speciality is heraldry, especially one between the ranks of pursuivant and king of arms. 4 (context entomology English) A moth of the species ''Scoliopteryx libatrix''. vb. (context transitive English) To proclaim or announce an event.

1. n. (formal) a person who announces important news; "the chieftain had a herald who announced his arrival with a trumpet" [syn: trumpeter]

2. an indication of the approach of something or someone [syn: harbinger, forerunner, precursor]

1. v. foreshadow or presage [syn: announce, annunciate, harbinger, foretell]

2. praise vociferously; "The critics hailed the young pianist as a new Rubinstein" [syn: acclaim, hail]

3. greet enthusiastically or joyfully [syn: hail]

A herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms.

Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to convey messages or proclamations—in this sense being the predecessors of the modern diplomats. In the Hundred Years' War, French heralds challenged King Henry V to fight. During the Battle of Agincourt, the English herald and the French herald, Montjoie, watched the battle together from a nearby hill; both agreed that the English were the victors, and Montjoie provided King Henry V, who thus earned the right to name the battle, with the name of the nearby castle.

Like other officers of arms, a herald would often wear a surcoat, called a tabard, decorated with the coat of arms of his master. It was possibly due to their role in managing the tournaments of the Late Middle Ages that heralds came to be associated with the regulation of the knights' coats of arms. Heralds have been employed by kings and large landowners, principally as messengers and ambassadors. Heralds were required to organise, announce and referee the contestants at a tournament. This science of heraldry became increasingly important and further regulated over the years, and in several countries around the world it is still overseen by heralds. Thus the primary job of a herald today is to be an expert in coats of arms. In the United Kingdom heralds are still called upon at times to read proclamations publicly; for which they still wear tabards emblazoned with the royal coat of arms.

There are active official heralds today in several countries, including the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Canada, and the Republic of South Africa. In England and Scotland most heralds are full-time employees of the sovereign and are called "Heralds of Arms in Ordinary". Temporary appointments can be made of "Heralds of Arms Extraordinary". These are often appointed for a specific major state occasions, such as a coronation. In addition, the Canadian Heraldic Authority has created the position of "Herald of Arms Emeritus", with which to honor long-serving or distinguished heraldists. In Scotland, some Clan Chiefs, the heads of great noble houses, still appoint private officers of arms to handle cases of heraldic or genealogical importance of clan members, although these are usually pursuivants.

The Herald is a monthly political magazine published in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The magazine is owned by Pakistan Herald Publications Limited (PHPL), which also publishes the Dawn Group of Newspapers. The Herald is considered to be a neutral magazine and produces many large or breaking stories. The magazine was started in 1969.

A herald is an officer of arms. It also means messenger.

Herald may also refer to:

Herald (formerly The True Latter Day Saints' Herald and The Saints' Herald) is the official periodical of the Community of Christ. It is published monthly in English in Independence, Missouri, by Herald House Publishing.

The True Latter Day Saints' Herald was first published in January 1860, at Cincinnati, Ohio, as the official newspaper of the newly organized Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church). Its editor was Isaac Sheen. In March 1863, publication moved to Plano, Illinois, and in November 1881 to Lamoni, Iowa. In May 1921 the publication moved to its current location in Independence, Missouri.

The Herald has had several name changes in its history:

• ''The True Latter Day Saints' Herald (1860–76)
• The Saints' Herald (1877–1953)
• Saints' Herald (1954–72)
• Saints Herald (1973–2000)
• Herald (2001–present)

Herald or The Herald is the name of various newspapers.