Girdle
/ˈɡɜːrdl/noun
A belt-like piece of clothing worn around the waist, especially by women, to shape and fit the waist and hips.
She wore a tight girdle to have a slim figure.
Often appears as...
- wear a girdle
- tighten the girdle
verb
To encircle or bind with a belt or girdle.
He girdled his waist with a leather belt.
Often appears as...
- girdle oneself
- girdle tightly
noun
In anatomy, girdle refers to a bony or cartilaginous structure in humans and other animals that connects the limbs to the torso, such as pelvic girdle or shoulder girdle.
The hip bones form the pelvic girdle.
Often appears as...
- pelvic girdle
- shoulder girdle
Usage tips
Technical
verb
In horticulture, to girdle means to remove a strip of bark around the circumference of a tree, generally to kill it or to stunt its growth.
The gardener girdled the tree to control its excessive growth.
Often appears as...
- girdle a tree
- girdle for growth control
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A belt-like piece of clothing worn around the waist, especially by women, to shape and fit the waist and hips.
She wore a tight girdle to have a slim figure.
Often appears as...
- wear a girdle
- tighten the girdle
verb
To encircle or bind with a belt or girdle.
He girdled his waist with a leather belt.
Often appears as...
- girdle oneself
- girdle tightly
noun
In anatomy, girdle refers to a bony or cartilaginous structure in humans and other animals that connects the limbs to the torso, such as pelvic girdle or shoulder girdle.
The hip bones form the pelvic girdle.
Often appears as...
- pelvic girdle
- shoulder girdle
Usage tips
Technical
verb
In horticulture, to girdle means to remove a strip of bark around the circumference of a tree, generally to kill it or to stunt its growth.
The gardener girdled the tree to control its excessive growth.
Often appears as...
- girdle a tree
- girdle for growth control
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Fashion Accessory
Historically, girdles were common fashion accessories and signified femininity.
My grandmother showed me the elegant girdle she wore in the '60s.
Pro Tip 2/3Modern Usage
Today, girdles are less common and often replaced by more modern shapewear.
Girdles aren't in vogue nowadays, but some prefer them for their vintage feel.
Pro Tip 3/3Metaphoric Use
The word 'girdle' can be used metaphorically to describe something tightly encircling something else.
The river formed a natural girdle around the small village.
Compare with
bandbeltcinchcorsetrygartersashstrapwaistband
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Video examples
Extreme Dinosaurs PIPE...
them I chose the skeleton with the skull that skeleton went back to the base of the neck there was another skeleton that started before the base of the neck and went into the back series then there was a skeleton I showed you a picture of that took from the base of the neck went through the dorsal series and out through the pelvic girdle into the tail and then we had another one that started
Video examples
Smash fear, learn...
He didn't lead with his chest, which requires you lean forward. I couldn't develop the attributes in my toes, the strength in my feet, to do that. So he uses a lead that focuses on his shoulder girdle and his arm. So he can lift the woman to break her, for example.
Video examples
Caterpillar Cocoon...
in a move to rival a contortionist it passes strands of silk behind itself creating a girdle to support it through the change to come with anchor and line secure the transformation can take place
Video examples
Extreme Dinosaurs PIPE...
them I chose the skeleton with the skull that skeleton went back to the base of the neck there was another skeleton that started before the base of the neck and went into the back series then there was a skeleton I showed you a picture of that took from the base of the neck went through the dorsal series and out through the pelvic girdle into the tail and then we had another one that started
Video examples
Smash fear, learn...
He didn't lead with his chest, which requires you lean forward. I couldn't develop the attributes in my toes, the strength in my feet, to do that. So he uses a lead that focuses on his shoulder girdle and his arm. So he can lift the woman to break her, for example.
Video examples
Caterpillar Cocoon...
in a move to rival a contortionist it passes strands of silk behind itself creating a girdle to support it through the change to come with anchor and line secure the transformation can take place
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Susan Orlean
American Journalist
I remember thinking that a girdle was barbaric, and that never in a million years would I treat myself like a sleeping bag being shoved into a stuff sack. Never! Instead, I would run marathons and work out and be in perfect shape and reject the tyranny of the girdle forever.
Quote examples
Jerry Lewis
American Comedian
Postwar America was a very buttoned-up nation. Radio shows were run by censors, Presidents wore hats, ladies wore girdles. We came straight out of the blue - nobody was expecting anything like Martin and Lewis. A sexy guy and a monkey is how some people saw us.
Quote examples
Coco Austin
American Actress
My grandma actually put me in girdles when I was around nine or ten because I had hips even then, and she didn't want boys to be attracted to me. Having hips meant you were a full-grown woman, and I was too young for that.
Quote examples
Jane Kaczmarek
American Actress
LYou can get yourself cut and stitched, or you can get a good girdle. The day before my first Emmy show, I went to Sears and bought a really good girdle. And I've worn that thing to every single awards show since!
Quote examples
Sissy Spacek
American Actress
In every movie, there's always some physical thing that triggers the character for me. In 'The Long Walk Home,' it was the girdle. Every time I'd put that girdle on, I'd feel my character wiggle to life.
Quote examples
Mary Daly
American Theologian
Women's minds have been mutilated and muted to such a state that 'Free Spirit' has been branded into them as a brand name for girdles and bras rather than as the name of our verb-ing, be-ing Selves.
Quote examples
Judith Viorst
American Author
Love is much nicer to be in than an automobile accident, a tight girdle, a higher tax bracket or a holding pattern over Philadelphia.
Quote examples
Marilyn Monroe
American Actress
Girdles and wire stays should have never been invented. No man wants to hug a padded bird cage.
Quote examples
Bruce McCulloch
Canadian Actor
No, they're nice guys. They wear girdles, but they're nice guys.
Quote examples
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
American Athlete
Loosen your girdle and let er fly!
Quote examples
Susan Orlean
American Journalist
I remember thinking that a girdle was barbaric, and that never in a million years would I treat myself like a sleeping bag being shoved into a stuff sack. Never! Instead, I would run marathons and work out and be in perfect shape and reject the tyranny of the girdle forever.
Quote examples
Jerry Lewis
American Comedian
Postwar America was a very buttoned-up nation. Radio shows were run by censors, Presidents wore hats, ladies wore girdles. We came straight out of the blue - nobody was expecting anything like Martin and Lewis. A sexy guy and a monkey is how some people saw us.
Quote examples
Coco Austin
American Actress
My grandma actually put me in girdles when I was around nine or ten because I had hips even then, and she didn't want boys to be attracted to me. Having hips meant you were a full-grown woman, and I was too young for that.
Quote examples
Jane Kaczmarek
American Actress
LYou can get yourself cut and stitched, or you can get a good girdle. The day before my first Emmy show, I went to Sears and bought a really good girdle. And I've worn that thing to every single awards show since!
Quote examples
Sissy Spacek
American Actress
In every movie, there's always some physical thing that triggers the character for me. In 'The Long Walk Home,' it was the girdle. Every time I'd put that girdle on, I'd feel my character wiggle to life.
Quote examples
Mary Daly
American Theologian
Women's minds have been mutilated and muted to such a state that 'Free Spirit' has been branded into them as a brand name for girdles and bras rather than as the name of our verb-ing, be-ing Selves.
Quote examples
Judith Viorst
American Author
Love is much nicer to be in than an automobile accident, a tight girdle, a higher tax bracket or a holding pattern over Philadelphia.
Quote examples
Marilyn Monroe
American Actress
Girdles and wire stays should have never been invented. No man wants to hug a padded bird cage.
Quote examples
Bruce McCulloch
Canadian Actor
No, they're nice guys. They wear girdles, but they're nice guys.
Quote examples
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
American Athlete
Loosen your girdle and let er fly!
Example 1 of 10
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