Library / English Dictionary

GIRDLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A woman's close-fitting foundation garment

Synonyms:

corset; girdle; stays

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("girdle" is a kind of...):

foundation; foundation garment (a woman's undergarment worn to give shape to the contours of the body)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "girdle"):

panty girdle (a woman's undergarment that combines a girdle and panties)

Derivation:

girdle (put a girdle on or around)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A band of material around the waist that strengthens a skirt or trousers

Synonyms:

cincture; girdle; sash; waistband; waistcloth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("girdle" is a kind of...):

band (a thin flat strip of flexible material that is worn around the body or one of the limbs (especially to decorate the body))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "girdle"):

cummerbund (a broad pleated sash worn as formal dress with a tuxedo)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An encircling or ringlike structure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("girdle" is a kind of...):

skeletal structure (any structure created by the skeleton of an organism)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "girdle"):

pectoral girdle (a skeletal support to which the forelimbs of vertebrates are attached)

hip; pelvic arch; pelvic girdle; pelvis (the structure of the vertebrate skeleton supporting the lower limbs in humans and the hind limbs or corresponding parts in other vertebrates)

Derivation:

girdle (cut a girdle around so as to kill by interrupting the circulation of water and nutrients)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Put a girdle on or around

Example:

gird your loins

Synonyms:

gird; girdle

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "girdle" is one way to...):

border; environ; ring; skirt; surround (extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

girdle (a woman's close-fitting foundation garment)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cut a girdle around so as to kill by interrupting the circulation of water and nutrients

Example:

girdle the plant

Synonyms:

deaden; girdle

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "girdle" is one way to...):

incise (make an incision into by carving or cutting)

Domain category:

flora; plant; plant life ((botany) a living organism lacking the power of locomotion)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

girdle (an encircling or ringlike structure)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The clavicle is part of the pectoral girdle.

(Clavicle, NCI Thesaurus)

Mutation of the gene is associated with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1E.

(DNAJB6 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

I let my shirt down to my waist, and drew up the bottom; fastening it like a girdle about my middle, to hide my nakedness.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

It affects middle-aged to elderly adults, and the pelvic bones, ribs, shoulder girdle, and long bones are the most common sites of involvement.

(Chondrosarcoma, NCI Thesaurus)

“Oh, indeed?” answered the little tailor, and unbuttoned his coat, and showed the giant the girdle, “there may you read what kind of a man I am!”

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

“I did but wish to learn the feel of them, since I am like to have such trinkets hung to my own girdle for some years to come.”

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There were no flowers, no garden-beds; only a broad gravel-walk girdling a grass-plat, and this set in the heavy frame of the forest.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The girdling arm lifted higher and drew her toward him, drew her slowly and caressingly.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Whoever performs his part with most agility, and holds out the longest in leaping and creeping, is rewarded with the blue-coloured silk; the red is given to the next, and the green to the third, which they all wear girt twice round about the middle; and you see few great persons about this court who are not adorned with one of these girdles.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Whilst he lay there, the people came and inspected him on all sides, and read on his girdle: Seven at one stroke.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)