Bible Encyclopedias
Waist

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

Search for…

Enter query below:

or

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Prev Entry
Wainscot

Next Entry
Waits

Resource Toolbox

Print Article

Additional Links

Dictionaries
Webster Dictionary
• Short-Waisted
• Shirt-Waist Suit
• Shirt Waist
•   (only first 3 shown)
Encyclopedias
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
• Waist
Lexicons
• ὀσφῦς
• חֲלָצַיִם
• מָתְנַיִם

the middle part of the human body, the portion lying between the ribs and the hip-bones, comprising the compressible parts of the trunk. The word is also applied to the central portion of other objects, particularly to the narrowest portion of musical instruments of the violin type and to the centre of a ship. The word appears in the M. Eng. as waste, " waste of a mannys' myddel" (Prompt. parv. c. 1440), and is developed from the O. Eng. wcestm, growth, the "waist" being the part where the growth of a man is shown and developed; cf. Icel. voxtr, stature, shape; Dan. vaext, size, growth, &c. It is thus to be derived from the 0. Eng. weaxan, to grow, wax.