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# Dictionary of Vexillology: D (Disc – Divisions)

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Last modified: 2026-05-09 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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- DISC (or DISK)
- DISC (or DISK) VOIDED
- DISFIGURE
- DISLODGING
- DISPLAYED
- DISPLAYING A FLAG
- DISPLAY MAST
- DISTAFF
- DISTANCE LINE
- DISTINCTION JACK
- DISTINCTION OF COLOUR
- DISTINCTION PENDANT (or PENNANT)
- DISTINGUISHING FLAG
- DISTINGUISHING JACK
- DISTINGUISHING (or DISTINCTIVE) MARK
- DISTINGUISHING PLATE
- DISTINGUISHING VANE (PENDANT or PENNANT)
- DIVER BELOW (or DIVER DOWN) FLAG
- DIVERGING STRIPES
- DIVIDED
- DIVINE RATIO (or PROPORTIONS)
- DIVISIONS IN HERALRY

DISC (or DISK)
  1) In vexillology a circular area of single colour used as a charge, and often (but not invariably) symbolic of the sun or a full moon (see also charge, crescent 1), hinomaru, ring 1) and sun emblem.
  2) In heraldry, see roundel 3).

  National Flag of Palau; Roundel, Ukraine; Flag of the Christian-Democrat Party of East Timor

DISC (or DISK) VOIDED
  1) In vexillology see ring 1).
  2) In heraldry see annulet (also voided).

  Flag of Grahamstown, South Africa; Arms and Flag of Ringerike, Norway

DISFIGURE
  (v) To add any unauthorised charge, device or wording to the field of a flag, particularly when it is of an insulting or pejorative nature (see also charge, desecrate and device and compare with deface).

DISLODGING
  In UK usage now obsolete, a term for the formal removal of a colour from the location at which it was housed and displayed during the relevant battalion’s temporary stay in any municipality (see also lodging and uncase(d) 1)).

DISPLAYED
  1) The heraldic term used when an eagle or other winged creature is shown with its wings elevated and sometimes inverted (see also rising, vol and volant).
  2) (adj) On flags the term may be used in place of flown, bourn or carried etc. – for example “a flag/pennant/banner was displayed above the ...”, or “the flagpole displayed a finial in the form of a ...”, or “the flag/pennant/banner displayed a charge ...”.

  Flag of Brandenburg, Germany; Flag of Mazowieckie, Poland; Flag of Barnim, Germany

DISPLAYING A FLAG
  See Appendix II.

DISPLAY MAST
  See sailor's mast.

DISTAFF
  The term for a spindle used in spinning that appears on several South European arms.

  Flag of Seixo de Gatões, Portugal; Arms of Ilha, Portugal; Flag of Bico e Cristelo, Portugal

DISTANCE LINE
  See hoistline and its following note.

DISTINCTION JACK
  See privateer jack.

  Distinction/Privateer Jack 1694–1801, England/UK

DISTINCTION OF COLOUR
  In English then British RN usage now obsolete, the system of grading flag officers according to their seniority – see blue ensign 2), flag officer 2), red ensign 2) and white ensign 2) and their following notes (also yellow admiral).

  Command Flags of Flag Officers of the Red, White and Blue 1625–1702

  Notes
  a) This system was formally introduced in 1625, amended in 1653, extended in 1805 (the rank of Admiral of the Red was introduced following Trafalgar) and abolished in 1864.
  b) Until the early 18th century however, these were not part of the naval rank structure, but were (rather) positions conferred by royal appointment to cover a specified campaign (although once an admiral always an admiral).
  c) In 1653 the order of seniority was changed from red, blue and white to red, white then blue.

DISTINCTION PENDANT (or PENNANT)
  1) The term, now obsolete, for one of four triangular pennants used in Marryat’s 1817 Code of Signals for the Merchant Service, and raised at the head of a particular signal hoist to indicate which section of the signal book should be used to interpret the following flags – see Marryat’s code (also pendant, preparative, signal flag and the note following international code of signals).
  2) See pendant of distinction.

  Distinction Pennants 1 and 3 in Marryat's Code of Signals for the Merchant Service 1817–1857

DISTINGUISHING FLAG
  1) The flag of a civil position within a governmental structure, as opposed to that signifying military rank, as in for example, the distinguishing flag of a Government minister (see also diplomatic flags).
  2) An alternative term for a rank flag.
  3) In US Air Force and Marine Corps usage, a flag denoting an officer's rank – see individual flag (also flag of command, personal flag 3) and rank flag 1)).
  4) In US military usage, the flag of a command or organization not authorized to bear colours.

  Minister of Defence, Argentina; Secretary for Defense US; National Security and Defense Council, Ukraine

  Please note, that although these terms are sometimes considered interchangeable, the Editors have drawn a general distinction between the command flags used by senior naval officers, the rank flags employed by officers from the other armed services, the distinguishing flags of civilians and with personal flags.

DISTINGUISHING JACK
  1) A newly introduced term for the jack (of a design which differs from its accompanying ensign) that is flown whilst a vessel is underway in order to distinguish that vessel’s special service or purpose, with an example in current use being the flag of a UK consular officer if flown as a jack – but see colonial jack, government service jack, under jack and the notes below (also diplomatic flags, jack staff).
  2) A term which may also be used when the standard of a head of state (a royal or presidential standard) is flown from the jack staff of a naval launch when that head of state is aboard – but see presidential standard(s) 1) and royal standard(s) 1)).

  Presidential Standard, Croatia; Consular Officer Afloat, UK; Royal Standard, Spain

  Notes
  a) In Germany and Austria, Government (as well as civilian) vessels often fly the flag of the relevant state/province as a distinguishing jack.
  b) In some commonwealth countries the appropriate departmental flag is specified as a jack for government vessels.
  c) In UK usage now obsolete, the British Civil Air Ensign was flown as a jack by those tenders who serviced the flying boats of Imperial Airways (1924–1939).

  Short Empire Flying Boat 1941–43, UK (Wikimedia); Civil Air Ensign, UK

DISTINGUISHING (or DISTINCTIVE) MARK
  Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), this is the mark that identifies a vessel's status as the warship or government owned ship of a sovereign state, and thus operated for non-commercial purposes (see also suit of flags).

  A Stealth Warship of the Royal Norwegian Navy Flying the Distinguishing Marks of Ensign, Jack and Masthead Pennant

  Please note that this distinguishing mark is invariably the ship's ensign, to lesser extent the masthead pennant and in some cases also the jack (see also ensign jack masthead pennant 1)) and suit of flags).

DISTINGUISHING PLATE
  See rank plate.

  Distinguishing/Rank Plate of a Vice Admiral RN, UK

DISTINGUISHING VANE (PENDANT or PENNANT)
  In British RN and some other naval usage now obsolete, the alternative terms for a short triangular pennant or large rectangular flag of different coloured panels, often stiffened with a frame and sometimes flown (in addition to a masthead pennant) by sailing warships to indicate (depending upon the masthead employed) the division of a fleet to which they belonged or to identify individual ships within that division (see also frame 2), masthead pennant 1)).

DIVER BELOW (or DIVER DOWN) FLAG
  1) Flag A (Alpha or Alfa) in the International Code of Signals, signifying that the vessel flying the flag has a diver down and that vessels approaching should keep well clear and proceed at slow speed (see also international code of signal flags and signal flag).
  2) In US and some other usage, a red flag with a white descending diagonal stripe indicating that divers are below the surface in the immediate vicinity of the flag.

  Signal Flag Alpha; Unofficial Warning Flag

  Please note however, that while often referred to as unofficial, use of 2) is required by law in most US states, and by law or regulation in some other countries.

DIVERGING STRIPES
  See expanding stripes.

  Flag of Zeewolde, Netherlands

DIVIDED
  1) In vexillology see bicolour, multi-stripe, triband and tricolour.
  2) In heraldry see party.

  Aboriginal Flag, Australia; National Flag, Uganda; Civil Flag and Ensign, Belgium

DIVINE RATIO (or PROPORTIONS)
  See golden mean.

  National Flag of Togo in the golden mean/divine ratio

DIVISIONS IN HERALDRY
  A phrase used to describe the boundaries between two fields on a shield, banner of arms or a flag – lines of partition – but see the note below and dancetty, embattled, embowed, indented, nebuly and serrated (also flanches and stepped).

  Flag of Groesbeek, The Netherlands; Flag of Seftigen, Switzerland; National Flag of Bahrain

  Please note that the above phrase does not refer to the dividing of a shield or flag into two or more straight-sided sections as illustrated below – see impaled quartered.

  Flag of Sugnens, Switzerland; House Flag of Freitas Martins, Portugal

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