[syn: girdle, gird]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Girdle \Gir"dle\, n.
A griddle. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Girdle \Gir"dle\, n. [OE. gurdel, girdel, AS. gyrdel, fr.
gyrdan; akin to D. gordel, G. g["u]rtel, Icel. gyr?ill. See
Gird, v. t., to encircle, and cf. Girth, n.]
[1913 Webster]
1. That which girds, encircles, or incloses; a circumference;
a belt; esp., a belt, sash, or article of dress encircling
the body usually at the waist; a cestus.
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Within the girdle of these walls. --Shak.
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Their breasts girded with golden girdles. --Rev. xv.
6.
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2. The zodiac; also, the equator. [Poetic] --Bacon.
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From the world's girdle to the frozen pole.
--Cowper.
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That gems the starry girdle of the year. --Campbell.
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3. (Jewelry) The line ofgreatest circumference of a
brilliant-cut diamond, at which it is grasped by the
setting. See Illust. of Brilliant. --Knight.
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4. (Mining) A thin bed or stratum of stone. --Raymond.
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5. (Zool.) The clitellus of an earthworm.
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Girdle bone (Anat.), the sphenethmoid. See under
Sphenethmoid.
Girdle wheel, a spinning wheel.
Sea girdle (Zool.), a ctenophore. See Venus's girdle,
under Venus.
Shoulder, Pectoral, & Pelvic, girdle. (Anat.) See
under Pectoral, and Pelvic.
To have under the girdle, to have bound to one, that is, in
subjection.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Girdle \Gir"dle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Girdled; p. pr. & vb. n.
Girdling.]
1. To bind with a belt or sash; to gird. --Shak.
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2. To inclose; to environ; to shut in.
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Those sleeping stones,
That as a waist doth girdle you about. --Shak.
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3. To make a cut or gnaw a groove around (a tree, etc.)
through the bark and alburnum, thus killing it. [U. S.]
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
girdle
n 1: an encircling or ringlike structure
2: a band of material around the waist that strengthens a skirt
or trousers [syn: girdle, cincture, sash, waistband,
waistcloth]
3: a woman's close-fitting foundation garment [syn: corset,
girdle, stays]
v 1: cut a girdle around so as to kill by interrupting the
circulation of water and nutrients; "girdle the plant"
[syn: girdle, deaden]
2: put a girdle on or around; "gird your loins" [syn: girdle,
gird]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
180 Moby Thesaurus words for "girdle":
Mystik tape, Scotch tape, adhesive tape, advocate, alpenstock,
anklet, arm, armlet, athletic supporter, back, backbone, backing,
band, bandage, bandeau, batten, bearer, begird, belt, belt in,
bend, beset, bind, bind up, bra, brace, bracelet, bracer, bracket,
brassiere, bundle, buttress, cane, carrier, cellophane tape,
cervix, chain, cinch, cincture, cingulum, circle, circuit,
circuiteer, circulate, circumambulate, circummigrate,
circumnavigate, circumvent, close the circle, cloth tape, collar,
collarband, come full circle, compass, corselet, corset, crook,
crutch, cycle, describe a circle, do up, earring, ecliptic,
encincture, encircle, encompass, engird, ensphere, equator, fascia,
fillet, finger ring, flank, foundation garment, friction tape,
fulcrum, gird, girdle the globe, girt, girth, go about, go around,
go round, go the round, great circle, guy, guywire, gyre, hem,
hoop, jock, jockstrap, lace, lap, lash, lath, leash, ligula,
ligule, list, loop, mainstay, maintainer, make a circuit,
masking tape, mast, neck, neckband, necklace, nose ring, orbit,
plank, plastic tape, prop, quoit, reinforce, reinforcement,
reinforcer, rest, resting place, revolve, ribband, ribbon, rigging,
ring, rope, round, sash, shoulder, shred, shroud, skirt, slat,
slip, spill, spine, spiral, splice, spline, sprit, staff,
standing rigging, stave, stay, stays, stick, stiffener, strake,
strap, strengthener, strip, strop, support, supporter, surround,
sustainer, swaddle, swathe, taenia, tape, tape measure, tapeline,
ticker tape, tie, tie up, truss, twine around, upholder, waistband,
walking stick, wheel, wire, wrap, wrap up, wreathe, wreathe around,
wristband, wristlet, zodiac, zone
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary:
Girdle
(1.) Heb. hagor, a girdle of any kind worn by soldiers (1 Sam.
18:4; 2 Sam. 20:8; 1 Kings 2:5; 2 Kings 3:21) or women (Isa.
3:24).
(2.) Heb. 'ezor, something "bound," worn by prophets (2 Kings
1:8; Jer. 13:1), soldiers (Isa. 5:27; 2 Sam. 20:8; Ezek. 23:15),
Kings (Job 12:18).
(3.) Heb. mezah, a "band," a girdle worn by men alone (Ps.
109:19; Isa. 22:21).
(4.) Heb. 'abnet, the girdle of sacerdotal and state officers
(Ex. 28:4, 39, 40; 29:9; 39:29).
(5.) Heb. hesheb, the "curious girdle" (Ex. 28:8; R.V.,
"cunningly woven band") was attached to the ephod, and was made
of the same material.
The common girdle was made of leather (2 Kings 1:8; Matt.
3:4); a finer sort of linen (Jer. 13:1; Ezek. 16:10; Dan. 10:5).
Girdles of sackcloth were worn in token of sorrow (Isa. 3:24;
22:12). They were variously fastened to the wearer (Mark 1:6;
Jer. 13:1; Ezek. 16:10).
The girdle was a symbol of strength and power (Job 12:18, 21;
30:11; Isa. 22:21; 45:5). "Righteousness and faithfulness" are
the girdle of the Messiah (Isa. 11:5).
Girdles were used as purses or pockets (Matt. 10:9. A. V.,
"purses;" R.V., marg., "girdles." Also Mark 6:8).