Gorgeous
(Gor"geous) a. [OF. gorgias beautiful, glorious, vain, luxurious; cf. OF. gorgias ruff, neck
handkerchief, and F. gorge throat, and se pengorger to assume airs. Cf. Gorge, n.] Imposing through
splendid or various colors; showy; fine; magnificent.
Cloud-land, gorgeous land.
Coleridge.
Gorgeous as the sun at midsummer.
Shak. — Gor"geous*ly, adv. — Gor"geous*ness, n.
Gorgerin
(||Gor`ge*rin") n. [F., fr. gorge neck.] (Arch.) In some columns, that part of the capital between
the termination of the shaft and the annulet of the echinus, or the space between two neck moldings; —
called also neck of the capital, and hypotrachelium. See Illust. of Column.
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. (Zoöl.) A crescent-shaped, colored patch on the neck of a bird or mammal.
Gorget hummer (Zoöl.), a humming bird of the genus Trochilus. See Rubythroat.
Gorgon
(Gor"gon) n. [L. Gorgo, -onis, Gr. Gorgw`, fr. gorgo`s terrible.]
1. (Gr. Myth.) One of three fabled sisters, Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa, with snaky hair and of terrific
aspect, the sight of whom turned the beholder to stone. The name is particularly given to Medusa.
2. Anything very ugly or horrid. Milton.
3. (Zoöl.) The brindled gnu. See Gnu.
Gorgon
(Gor"gon), a. Like a Gorgon; very ugly or terrific; as, a Gorgon face. Dryden.
Gorgonacea
(||Gor`go*na"ce*a) n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) See Gorgoniacea.
Gorgonean
(Gor*go"ne*an) a. See Gorgonian, 1.
Gorgoneion
(||Gor`go*ne"ion) n.; pl. Gorgoneia [NL., fr. Gr. Gorgo`neios, equiv. to Gorgei^os belonging
to a Gorgon.] (Arch.) A mask carved in imitation of a Gorgon's head. Elmes.
Gorgonia
(||Gor*go"ni*a) n. [L., a coral which hardens in the air.] (Zoöl.)
