WAIST  , the

middle part of the human body, the portion lying between the ribs and the hip-bones, comprising the compressible parts of the trunk . The word is also applied to the central portion of other objects, particularly tc the narrowest portion of musical instruments of the violin type and to the centre of a ship . The word appears in the M . Eng. as waste, " waste of a mannys' myddel " (Prompt. parv. c . 1440), and is developed from the O . Eng. wcestm, growth, the " waist " being the part where the growth of a man is shown and developed; cf . Icel. voxtr, stature, shape; Dan. vaext, size, growth, &c . It is thus to be derived from the 0 . Eng. weaxan, to grow, wax .