‖ serre-stem of F. serrer to tighten, constrict, forming the first element in compounds denoting surgical instruments used for constricting ligatures, as serre-nœud, serre-pédicule(seequots.).1846F. Brittan tr.Malgaigne's Man. Oper. Surg. 19 The ‘*Serre nœud’ (Knot-tightener) of Graefe, an imitation of the tourniquet of Petit.Ibid. 326 The two ends of the ligature should be passed into a serre-nœud, and the polypus strangled to the required degree.1881Trans.Obstet.Soc.Lond. XXII. 160 Koeberle's serre-nœud.1898Syd. Soc.Lex., *Serre-pedicule, a clamp used for constricting a pedicule.