girdling

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Felling is cutting down the tree outright, while girdling refers to killing the tree by removing its access to nutrients, but not cutting it down.

From Science Daily • Sep. 18, 2023

Many adult lampreys make it through fish ladders designed for salmon, but at each of the eight dams girdling the lower Columbia and Snake rivers, their ranks are reduced by roughly 30% to 50%.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 23, 2022

On hilly roads girdling New York’s reservoirs, the Rivian carved up those BMWs and Benzes as if they were holiday turkeys, its clever hydraulic anti-roll system keeping the truck’s body as flat as a platter.

From New York Times • Nov. 25, 2021

They also squandered timber by girdling trees to clear land, cutting the bark around their trunks and later burning them.

From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018

A huge wave girdling it was advancing towards us relentlessly.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel