Etymology : Middle English wast; akin to Old English wæstm growth, weaxan to grow; more at WAX
Pronunciation : wAst
Function : noun
Date : 14th century
1. part of the body between the hips and ribs; part of a garment that surrounds the midsection of the body; garment reaching from the shoulders to the waist; blouse, shirt; narrow middle part of an object (as of a violin). waist\waist\ , n. [oe. wast; originally, growth, akin to as. weaxan to grow; cf. as. w?stm growth. see:
wax to grow.].
2. that part of the human body which is immediately below the ribs or thorax; the small part of the body between the thorax and hips. i am in the waist two yards about.
3. hence, the middle part of other bodies; especially (naut.), that part of a vessel's deck, bulwarks, etc., which is between the quarter-deck and the forecastle; the middle part of the ship.
4. a garment, or part of a garment, which covers the body from the neck or shoulders to the waist line.
5. a girdle or belt for the waist. [obs.]waist anchor. see:
sheet anchor, 1, in the vocabulary.waist n.
6. the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips [syn: waistline].
7. the narrow part of the shoe connecting the heel and the wide part of the sole [syn: shank].
8. That part of the human body which is immediately below the ribs or thorax; the small part of the body between the thorax and hips.
9. Hence, the middle part of other bodies; especially , that part of a vessel's deck, bulwarks, etc., which is between the quarter-deck and the forecastle; the middle part of the ship.
10. A garment, or part of a garment, which covers the body from the neck or shoulders to the waist line.
11. A girdle or belt for the waist. the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips.
12. 1. Your waist is the middle part of your body where it narrows slightly above your hips. Ricky kept his arm round her waist He was stripped to the waist. + -waisted -waisted Sarah looked slender-waisted, fragile and very beautiful.
13. The waist of a garment such as a dress, coat, or pair of trousers is the part of it which covers the middle part of your body. + -waisted -waisted high-waisted dresses.