Spot the frippet: cincture.

This is the best time to spot a cincture.

It's because at the moment cintures are bigger than at any other time of the year.

We tend to have them on our minds, too, as we reproach ourselves for our season of greed and self-indulgence.

Yes, a cincture (the first c has an s sound) is a belt.

Don't despair, though: there are bigger cinctures around than yours.   
Here's one:



Photo by Rod Ward of the Knor Garden at the Red Lodge, Bristol, England.

and here's another:


Yep, that's Switzerland.

 Yes, that's right: any belt or border is a cincture.

There. That makes you feel quite trim and insignificant, doesn't it?

Jolly good.

Spot the frippet: cincture. This word comes from the Latin cingere, which means to gird.