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Couché

Heraldic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A heraldic term indicating that a charge (such as a sword or banner) is depicted lying horizontally, as if at rest or in repose.

Detailed Definition
Couché describes a heraldic figure shown reclining or lying down. Literary usage might invoke rest, defeat, or a different state of being, adding depth to symbolism involving posture or condition.
Example
Example in poetry:
The lion couché, resting but watchful, embodied patience in power; “Couché in sorrow,” the lament pictured the warrior laid low but not defeated; The poet described his spirit as couché, gathering strength for the next verse; Couché upon a bed of laurels, the knight dreamed of battles yet to come.
Additional Notes
Couché refers to a shield depicted horizontally (as on a funeral hatchment) rather than upright; it signifies death or memorial; poets encountering "couché" in texts should recognize its funerary context; this orientation is rare in active arms but common in mourning heraldry, especially in 17th–18th century Britain.
Also Known As
Lying down Recumbent
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