girdle

/ˈɡɜrdl/
verb
  1. To surround or encircle something, like a belt or band.
    • The mountain range girdles the valley, protecting it from storms.
    • A thick stone wall girdled the medieval fortress.
    • A wide river girdles the old city on three sides.
  2. To remove a strip of bark around the circumference of a tree trunk, which can kill the tree.
    • The gardener accidentally girdled the sapling with the weed trimmer.
    • Beavers girdled the young apple tree by chewing its bark.
    • To clear the land, they girdled the larger trees and waited for them to die.
noun
  1. A piece of women's underwear that fits tightly around the waist and hips to shape the body.
    • She wore a girdle under her evening gown for a smoother silhouette.
    • The vintage store sold lace girdles and corsets from decades past.
    • In the 1950s, many women wore girdles as part of their daily attire.
  2. A belt or sash worn around the waist.
    • He fastened a leather girdle around his tunic.
    • The ancient statue wore a simple cloth girdle at its waist.
    • The knight's girdle was decorated with silver and jewels.
  3. A ring or band that surrounds something, such as the part of a cut gemstone between the crown and the pavilion.
    • The diamond's girdle was polished to a smooth finish.
    • The girdle of the opal was slightly thicker than usual.
    • A jeweler examined the girdle of the gem for any chips.