Hătch'ment, n.

n. [Corrupted from achievement.] 1. (Her.) A frame bearing the escutcheon of a dead person, placed in front of the house, on a hearse at funerals, or in a church. It consists of canvas stretched upon a square, black frame, placed with one of its corners uppermost, and having depicted upon it the arms of the deceased or of his family. If the arms are only those of the dead person, the canvas bordering them is made black; but if those of survivors, as of a husband or wife, are also represented, the part bordering the arms of the deceased is made black, that adjacent to those of the survivors being white. His obscure funeral; No trophy, sword, or hatchment o'er his bones. Shak. 2. An ornament on the hilt of a sword. Let there be deducted, out of our main notation, Five marks in hatchments to adorn this thigh. Beau. & Fl.