Pectoral

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Girdle \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.]
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     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.
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              Within the girdle of these walls.     --Shak.
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              Their breasts girded with golden girdles. --Rev. xv.
                                                    6.
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     2. The zodiac; also, the equator. [Poetic] --Bacon.
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              From the world's girdle to the frozen pole.
                                                    --Cowper.
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              That gems the starry girdle of the year. --Campbell.
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     3. (Jewelry) The line ofgreatest circumference of a
        brilliant-cut diamond, at which it is grasped by the
        setting. See Illust. of {Brilliant}. --Knight.
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     4. (Mining) A thin bed or stratum of stone. --Raymond.
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     5. (Zool.) The clitellus of an earthworm.
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     {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}, & {Pelvic}, {girdle}. (Anat.) See
        under {Pectoral}, and {Pelvic}.
  
     {To have under the girdle}, to have bound to one, that is, in
        subjection.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Pectoral \Pec"to*ral\ (p[e^]k"t[-o]*ral), a. [L. pectoralis, fr.
     pectus, -oris the breast; cf. F. pectoral.]
     1. Of or pertaining to the breast, or chest; as, the pectoral
        muscles.
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     2. Relating to, or good for, diseases of the chest or lungs;
        as, a pectoral remedy.
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     3. (Zool.) Having the breast conspicuously colored; as, the
        pectoral sandpiper.
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     {Pectoral arch}, or {Pectoral girdle} (Anat.), the two or
        more bony or cartilaginous pieces of the vertebrate
        skeleton to which the fore limbs are articulated; the
        shoulder girdle. In man it consists of two bones, the
        scapula and clavicle, on each side.
  
     {Pectoral cross} (Eccl.), a cross worn on the breast by
        bishops and abbots, and sometimes also by canons.
  
     {Pectoral fins}, or {Pectorals} (Zool.), fins situated on the
        sides, behind the gills. See Illust. under {Fin}.
  
     {Pectoral rail}. (Zool.) See {Land rail}
        (b) under {Land}.
  
     {Pectoral sandpiper} (Zool.), the jacksnipe
        (b) .
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Pectoral \Pec"to*ral\, n. [L. pectorale a breastplate, neut. of
     pectoralis.]
     1. A covering or protecting for the breast.
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     2. (Eccl.)
        (a) A breastplate, esp. that worn by the Jewish high
            person.
        (b) A clasp or a cross worn on the breast.
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     3. A medicine for diseases of the chest organs, especially
        the lungs.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  pectoral
       adj : of or relating to the chest or thorax; "pectoral organ"
             [syn: {thoracic}]
       n 1: either of two large muscles of the chest [syn: {pectoral
            muscle}, {pectoralis}, {musculus pectoralis}, {pecs}]
       2: an adornment worn on the chest or breast [syn: {pectoral
          medallion}]