Word: blazer Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From blaze (“to reflect or send forth a bright light; (figurative) to be conspicuous; etc.”, verb) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns). Blaze is derived from blaze (“fire”, noun), from Middle English blase (“a flame, blaze; a firebrand, torch; a bright light”), from Old English blæse, blase (“a flame, blaze; a firebrand, torch”) (whence Old English blæsere, blasere (“one who burns, burner, incendiary”, literally “blazer”)), from Proto-West Germanic *blasā (“a flame, blaze; a firebrand, torch”), from Proto-Germanic *blasǭ (“a torch”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blaze, burn; to be bright, shine; bright flame, fire; shiny; white”). Pronunciation: /ˈbleɪzə/, /ˈbleɪzəɹ/ 1. A thing which blazes or shines brightly. Labels: informal Example: The day comes—a blazer, cloudless blue, not a breath stirring the pine-branches; […] 2. A thing which blazes or shines brightly. Labels: Canada, US Example: [I]t was evident to him that Mrs. Nichols in branching out did not intend to banish the Welsh rarebit, the oysters in cream, and other delicacies which Tom prided himself on being able to prepare on a blazer so skilfully that the mouths of his friends never ceased to water until the alcohol-lamp went hopelessly out. 3. A thing which blazes or shines brightly. Labels: Northern-England Example: From the neighbouring colleries the miners had come in crowds—men, women, and children. The women and children were many of them armed with "blazers" and tin-cans, which they used as cymbals, to the accompaniment of groans, yells, and howls directed against the motley gang of evictors. 4. A thing which blazes or shines brightly. Labels: obsolete 5. A lightweight semi-formal jacket, especially one with coloured stripes, decorated edges, or a badge on the breast pocket, worn as part of a school uniform or at a sports event. Labels: figuratively Example: Rowing is, in truth, second to none among our national athletic diversions, and Henley Regatta is the chief rowing tournament of the year. […] [T]he visitors' cup of enjoyment can hardly be fuller. The drive to the river, the gentle pull down stream, or the tow up to the famous reach; the pic-nic upon the bank; the boats loaded with women in faintly tinted summery dresses and men in spotless flannel and club-"blazers" in every combination of colour, only to be unriddled by the initiated; […] Example: In your article of to-day, under the above heading, you speak of "a striped red and black blazer," "the blazer," also of "the pale toned" ones. This is worth noting as a case of the specific becoming the generic. A blazer is the red flannel boating jacket, worn by the Lady Margaret, St. John's College, Cambridge, Boat Club. When I was at Cambridge it meant that and nothing else. It seems from your article that a blazer now means a coloured flannel jacket, whether for cricket, tennis, boating, or seaside wear. 6. A lightweight semi-formal jacket, especially one with coloured stripes, decorated edges, or a badge on the breast pocket, worn as part of a school uniform or at a sports event. Labels: UK, figuratively, slang 7. A person or thing that blazes a trail; a pioneer, a trailblazer. Labels: figuratively Example: a blazer of paths Example: a blazer of pathways 8. Often in the form run a blazer: a con, a swindle. Labels: figuratively, slang Example: The disfigurement was so plainly obvious that it seemed evident the rustlers planned to run a blazer on us by undertaking to cut them [cattle] on the spring round-up under cover of a gun bluff. Example: "What'd I tell you?" said Bill. "The old wolverine was tryin' to run a blazer on us. All he needed was to be showed we meant business. And he can't make no trouble for us when he gets out, 'cause our two words are better'n his." 9. Someone or something that draws attention. Labels: US, figuratively Example: T' other gal is likely enough, but the mother's a blazer! Whoever marries Emmy, had better look out for his ears. The mill-clack is nothing to the old woman's tongue. 10. One who blazes (“smokes marijuana”); a stoner. Labels: US, figuratively, slang