2. Relating to, or good for, diseases of the chest or lungs;
as, a pectoral remedy.
3. (Zo["o]l.) Having the breast conspicuously colored; as,
the pectoral sandpiper.
{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.
{Pectorial cross} (Eccl.), a cross worn on the breast by
bishops and abbots, and sometimes also by canons.
{Pectorial} fins, or {Pectorials} (Zo["o]l.), fins situated
on the sides, behind the gills. See Illust. under {Fin}.
{Pectorial rail}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Land rail}
(b) under {Land}.
{Pectorial sandpiper} (Zo["o]l.), the jacksnipe
(b) .
2. (Eccl.)
(a) A breastplate, esp. that worn by the Jewish high
person.
(b) A clasp or a cross worn on the breast.
3. A medicine for diseases of the chest organs, especially
the lungs.
Within the girdle of these walls. --Shak.
Their breasts girded with golden girdles. --Rev. xv.
6.
2. The zodiac; also, the equator. [Poetic] --Bacon.
From the world's girdle to the frozen pole.
--Cowper.
That gems the starry girdle of the year. --Campbell.
3. (Jewelry) The line ofgreatest circumference of a
brilliant-cut diamond, at which it is grasped by the
setting. See Illust. of {Brilliant}. --Knight.
4. (Mining) A thin bed or stratum of stone. --Raymond.
5. (Zo["o]l.) The clitellus of an earthworm.
{Girdle bone} (Anat.), the sphenethmoid. See under
{Sphenethmoid}.
{Girdle wheel}, a spinning wheel.
{Sea girdle} (Zo["o]l.), 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.