[ad. L. strigilis, f. strig-, stringĕre to touch lightly (see STRICTURE sb.).
The cognate pop.L. *strigula, curry-comb, is represented by It. stregghia, OF. estrille (mod.F. étrille); it was adopted in OHG. as strigil (mod.G. striegel).]
1. Ant. An instrument with a curved blade, for scraping the sweat and dirt from the skin in the hot-air bath or after gymnastic exercise. Also applied transf. to a flesh-brush or other instrument used for the same purpose.
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, xxxiv. (1887), 123. Certaine scrapers called Strigiles.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, June 1645. Being rubbed with a kind of strigil of seal’s-skin, put on the operator’s hand like a glove.
1775. R. Chandler, Trav. Asia M. (1825), I. 63. We were rubbed with a mohair-bag fitted to the hand, which, like the ancient strigil, brings away the gross matter perspired.
1843. Civil Engin. & Arch. Jrnl., VI. 96/1. One day Hadrian recognized an old companion in arms in poverty, scraping himself with a tile instead of the strigil.
1854. Fairholt, Dict. Terms Art, Strigil, an instrument of bronze, curved, and hollowed like a spoon, used by the Romans to scrape off perspiration from the body after bathing.
1887. D. Maguire, Art of Massage, ii. 19. Our masseurs of to-day use an instrument similar to the strigil made of box or any other hard wood, and call it sometimes strigil or raclette.
1894. J. Sturgis, Bk. Song, 8. Or naked Lysis, fresh from eager game, Draws down the strigil light o’er breast and limbs aflame.
2. Ent. (See quot.)
1873. F. B. White, in Entomol. Monthly Mag., X. 60. I found that the males of certain species [of Corixa] were provided with a curious structure…. As this structure bears some resemblance to a ‘curry-comb’ it may be styled … the ‘strigil’ or ‘strigiliform organ.’
1910. G. H. Carpenter, Hemiptera, in Encycl. Brit., XIII. 261/1. The sixth segment [of the male Corixa] bearing on its upper side a small stalked plate (strigil) … furnished with rows of teeth.
3. Comb.
1870. Rolleston, Anim. Life, 23. The strigil-shaped first phalanx of the index digit.
