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A torse.Coat of arms showing the usual placement of a torse (here on top of the helmet).The arms of Langenhagen, on which the torse appears as a charge. In other arms it can be found wrapped around a moor's forehead.
(heraldry) A twist of cloth or wreath, typically placed underneath and forming part of a crest (as an orle or wreath) and customarily shown with six twists, the first tincture being the tincture of the field, the second the tincture of the metal, and so on; rarely, it occurs as a charge.
1634, Henry Peacham, “Of Antiquities”, in The Compleat Gentleman. Fashioning Him Absolut, in the Most Necessary and Commendable Qualities Concerning Minde or Body, That May Be Required in a Noble Gentleman., enlarged edition, London: Francis Constable,, page 110:
To Painters, for the picturing of ſome exquiſit arme, leg, torſe or wreathing of the body, or any other rare poſture, whether ſmooth or forced.
1760, Oliver Goldsmith, “Letter XXXIII. To the same.”, in The Citizen of the World; or Letters from a Chinese Philosopher,, volume I, London: or the author; and sold by J. Newbery and W. Bristow,; J. Leake and W. Frederick,; B. Collins,; and A. M. Smart and Co., published 1762, →OCLC, page 145:
One might ſtudy in this city for ages, and ſtill find ſomething new: we went from this to view the cardinal’s ſtatues, which are really very fine; there were three ſpintria executed in a very maſterly manner, all arm in arm: the torſe which I heard you talk ſo much of, is at laſt diſcovered to be a Hercules ſpinning, and not a Cleopatra bathing, as your lordſhip had conjectured: there has been a treatiſe written to prove it.
, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
