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Dess vs Fess - What's the difference?

dess | fess |

As nouns the difference between dess and fess

is that dess is while fess is (heraldiccharge) a horizontal band across the middle of the shield.

As a verb fess is

to confess; to admit.

dess

English

Noun

(es)
    • (Webster 1913) ----

    fess

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (confess), by shortening

    Verb

    (es)
  • To confess; to admit.
    • Derived terms
    * fess up English clippings

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Alternative forms

    * fesse

    Noun

    (es)
  • (heraldiccharge) A horizontal band across the middle of the shield.
  • * 1892 , Arthur Conan Doyle, ‘The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor’, Norton 2005 p.294:
    • Lord Robert Walsingham de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral—Hum! Arms: Azure, three caltrops in chief over a fess sable.
  • * 2009 , Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall , Fourth Estate 2010, p. 420:
    • The space where the arms of Wolsey used to be is being repainted with his own newly granted arms: azure, on a fess between three lions rampant or, a rose gules, barbed vert, between two Cornish choughs proper .