in armoury, the top-part of the armour, for the head, mounting over the helmet, in manner of a comb, or tuft of a cock, deriving its name from criſta, a cock's comb.

The crest was for the most part made of feathers, or the hair of horses tails or mains. The soldiers took great pride in adorning them.

in heraldry, the uppermost part of an armoury, or that part of the cask or helmet next to the mantle. Guillim says, the crest, or cognizance, claims the highest place, being seated on the most eminent part of the helmet; yet so as to admit of an interposition of some escrol, wreath, chapeau, crown, &c.

The crest is esteemed a greater mark of nobility than the armory; being borne at tournaments, to which none were admitted till such time as they had given proof of their nobility: sometimes it serves to distinguish the several branches of a family; and it has served, on occasion, as a distinguishing badge of factions: sometimes the crest is taken for the device; but more usually is formed of some piece of the arms. Families that exchange arms do not change their crest.

among carvers, an imagery, or carved work, to adorn the head or top of any thing, like our modern corniche.

**CREST-fallen**, a fault of a horse, when the upper part of his neck, called the crest, hangs to one side; this they cure by placing it upright, clipping away the spare skin, and applying plasters to keep it in a proper position.