gorget

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Unfix the gorget's iron clasp. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A ruff worn by women. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Surg.) (a) A cutting instrument used in lithotomy. (b) A grooved instrunent used in performing various operations; -- called also blunt gorget. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Zool.) A crescent-shaped, colored patch on the neck of a bird or mammal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gorget hummer (Zool.), a humming bird of the genus Trochilus. See Rubythroat. [ 1913 Webster ]