Definition of "waist" []

• The part of the human trunk between the bottom of the rib cage and the pelvis. (noun)
• The narrow part of the abdomen of an insect. (noun)
• The part of a garment that encircles the waist of the body. (noun)
• The upper part of a garment, extending from the shoulders to the waistline, especially the bodice of a woman's dress. (noun)
• A blouse. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The fiction of Richard Powers sometimes resembles a dying satyr — above the waist is a mind full of serious thought, philosophical reflection, deep exploration of music and science; below, a pair of spindly legs strain to support the great weight of the ambitious brain."
• "The fit around the waist is a little weird, but not enough to be irritating."
• ""The amount of effort to keep one's smiling head above water while churning prevails below the waist is apt indeed.""