Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Gorget?

\Gor"get\, n. [OF. gorgete, dim. of gorge throat. See {Gorge}, n.] 1. A piece of armor, whether of chain mail or of plate, defending the throat and upper part of the breast, and forming a part of the double breastplate of the 14th century. 2. A piece of plate armor covering the same parts and worn over the buff coat in the 17th century, and without other steel armor. Unfix the gorget's iron clasp. --Sir W. Scott. 3. A small ornamental plate, usually crescent-shaped, and of gilded copper, formerly hung around the neck of officers in full uniform in some modern armies. 4. A ruff worn by women. [Obs.] 5. (Surg.) (a) A cutting instrument used in lithotomy. (b) A grooved instrunent used in performing various operations; -- called also {blunt gorget}. --Dunglison. 6. (Zo["o]l.) A crescent-shaped, colored patch on the neck of a bird or mammal. {Gorget hummer} (Zo["o]l.), a humming bird of the genus {Trochilus}. See {Rubythroat}.