to have under the girdle

1 definition found

to have under the girdle - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  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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