‖ cleché, -ée, a. Her. Obs.
(ˈklɛtʃɪ, ‖ klɛʃe)
Also cletchee, clechy.
[F., f. L. type *clāvicātus, according to Littré, in sense ‘key-holed’, f. clāvis key.]
Of an ordinary: (according to most authors) Voided or pierced through with a figure of the same kind, so as to show the tincture of the field. (But see quots.)
| 1688 R. Holme Armory i. v. 42 A Cross Sable surmounted of another Argenti Of Morgan l. 2. fo. 55 it is termed a Cross clechee..[it] differeth from the cross voided only in this that it hath ends, and the voided none. 1708–15 Kersey Cleche (in Heraldry), when any Ordinary is pierced thro' with the same Figure. 1730–6 in Bailey (folio). 1751 Chambers Cycl., Cleché, or Clechy..But..some other writers, will have this pierceing to be only a circumstance of the cross cleché, and call it by the name vuidé, voided. The thing that denominates it cleché, is its spreading from the centre towards the extremities, which are very wide, and end in an angle in the middle. 1848 Gloss. Brit. Heraldry s.v., The arms of Sir Thomas Banaster..were argent, a cross clechée, sable, though some say he bore a cross pointed. |