n. [ OE. gurdel, girdel, AS. gyrdel, fr. gyrdan; akin to D. gordel, G. gürtel, Icel. gyr&unr_;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. [ 1913 Webster ] Within the girdle of these walls. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] Their breasts girded with golden girdles. Rev. xv. 6. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. The zodiac; also, the equator. [ Poetic ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ] From the world's girdle to the frozen pole. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ] That gems the starry girdle of the year. Campbell. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. (Jewelry) The line ofgreatest circumference of a brilliant-cut diamond, at which it is grasped by the setting. See Illust. of Brilliant. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. (Mining) A thin bed or stratum of stone. Raymond. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. (Zool.) The clitellus of an earthworm. [ 1913 Webster ] 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, and Pelvic, girdle. (Anat.) See under Pectoral, and Pelvic. -- To have under the girdle, to have bound to one, that is, in subjection. [ 1913 Webster ]
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