girdle

  • 1Girdle — 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 …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2girdle — 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 …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3girdle — [gʉrd′ l] n. [ME girdil < OE gyrdel < base of gyrdan (see GIRD1): akin to Ger gürtel] 1. Archaic a belt or sash for the waist 2. anything that surrounds or encircles ☆ 3. a woman s elasticized undergarment for supporting or molding the… …

    English World dictionary

  • 4Girdle — Gir dle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Girdled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Girdling}.] 1. To bind with a belt or sash; to gird. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To inclose; to environ; to shut in. [1913 Webster] Those sleeping stones, That as a waist doth girdle you about …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 5girdle — (n.) O.E. gyrdel belt, sash, cord about the waist, common Germanic. (Cf. O.N. gyrðill, Swed. gördel, O.Fris. gerdel, Du. gordel, O.H.G. gurtil, Ger. Gürtel belt ), related to O.E. gyrdan to gird (see GIRD (Cf. gird)). Modern euphemistic sense of …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 6girdle — [1] ► NOUN 1) a belt or cord worn round the waist. 2) a woman s elasticated corset extending from waist to thigh. ► VERB ▪ encircle with a girdle or belt. ORIGIN Old English, related to GIRD(Cf. ↑gird) and G …

    English terms dictionary

  • 7Girdle — Gir dle, n. A griddle. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.] [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 8girdle — index circumscribe (surround by boundary), embrace (encircle), enclose, enclosure, encompass (surround), hedge …

    Law dictionary

  • 9girdle — vb *surround, environ, encircle, circle, encompass, compass, hem, gird, ring Analogous words: see those at GIRD (to surround) …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 10girdle — [n] corset band, belt, sash, undergarment, underwear, waistband; concept 451 …

    New thesaurus