Legal Definitions - girth

Definition: Girth (gərth) is a measure of length that is equal to a yard. The term was originally used in Saxon and early English law and was taken from the circumference of a man's body.

Examples:

1. She measured the tree's girth by wrapping a tape measure around its trunk.
2. The girth of the church was decorated with flowers for the wedding.
3. The fugitive sought girth in the nearby woods.
4. The horse's girth was tightened before the rider mounted.

The first example illustrates the use of girth as a measure of length. The second example shows girth being used to refer to the area surrounding a church. The third example demonstrates the use of girth as a place of sanctuary. The fourth example shows girth being used to refer to a band or strap that encircles the body of an animal to fasten something, such as a saddle, to its back.