astragal
(ˈæstrəgəl)
Also 7 astrigal.
[(? a. F. astragale), ad. L. astragalus, a. Gr. ἀστράγαλος a huckle-bone (in pl. dice), a moulding in the capital of a column, a leguminous plant. See also astragalus.]
1. Phys. The ball of the ankle-joint; the huckle-bone; = astragalus 1. Hence in pl. (as in Gr.): Dice, which were orig. huckle-bones.
| 1727–51 Chambers Cycl., Astragal..a bone of the heel. 1850 J. Leitch Müller's Anc. Art §391 Eros as Ganymedes' conqueror at the game of astragals. |
2. a. Arch. A small moulding, of semicircular section, sometimes plain, sometimes carved with leaves or cut into beads, placed round the top or bottom of columns, and used to separate the different parts of the architrave in ornamental entablatures. Also attrib.
| 1563 Shute Archit. C j a, Nowe at the toppe of Scapus, you shall make Astragalus. 1651 Davenant Gondibert ii. vi. xlvi, From the astrigal To the flat frieze. 1789 Smyth tr. Aldrich's Archit. (1818) 89 An astragal..has berries often cut on it. 1862 Rickman Goth. Archit. 14 The torus when very small becomes an astragal. 1872 Shipley Gloss. Eccl. Terms 402 Roundel, a bead or astragal moulding. |
b. (See quot. 1940.)
| 1858 Skyring's Builders' Prices 33 Astragal sashes. 1940 Chambers's Techn. Dict. 56/2 Astragal, a specially shaped bar used for connecting together glazing bars or sheets of glass in a window. Ibid., Astragal tool, a special tool..used in wood-turning for turning beads and astragals. |
3. Gunnery. A ring or moulding encircling a cannon about six inches from the mouth.
| 1656 Blount Glossogr., Astragal..is therefore transferred to the canon. 1692 in Smith Seaman's Gram. ii. vi. 94 The Astragal, or Cornice Ring. 1862 Griffiths Artill. Man., Muzzle Astragal and Fillets. |
4. (See quot.) ? Obs.
| 1725 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Tyles, Scallop or Astragal are used in some places for weather Tyling. 1751 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Tyle, Scallop or astragal Tyles are..like plain tiles, only their lower ends are in form of an astragal. |