gird

¹

[ gurd ]

verb (used with object)

, gird·ed or girt, gird·ing.

1. to encircle or bind with a belt or band.
2. to surround; enclose; hem in.
3. to prepare (oneself ) for action:

   He girded himself for the trial ahead.

   Synonyms: strengthen, fortify, steel, brace

4. to provide, equip, or invest, as with power or strength.

gird

²

[ gurd ]

verb (used without object)

1. to gibe; jeer (usually followed by at ).

verb (used with object)

1. to gibe or jeer at; taunt.

noun

1. a gibe.

gird

¹

/ ɡɜːd /

verb

1. to put a belt, girdle, etc, around (the waist or hips)
2. to bind or secure with or as if with a belt

   to gird on one's armour

3. to surround; encircle
4. to prepare (oneself) for action (esp in the phrase gird ( up ) one's loins )
5. to endow with a rank, attribute, etc, esp knighthood

gird

²

/ ɡɜːd /

verb

1. whenintr, foll by at to jeer (at someone); mock
2. tr to strike (a blow at someone)
3. intr to move at high speed

noun

1. 1. a blow or stroke
   2. a taunt; gibe
2. a display of bad temper or anger (esp in the phrases in a gird; throw a gird )

gird

³

/ ɡɪrd /

noun

1. a hoop, esp a child's hoop Alsogirr

Other Words From

• girding·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of gird¹

before 950; Middle English girden, Old English gyrdan; cognate with German gürten

Origin of gird²

1175–1225; Middle English gyrd a stroke, blow, hence a cutting remark, derivative of girden to strike, smite < ?

Word History and Origins

Origin of gird¹

Old English gyrdan, of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse gyrtha, Old High German gurten

Origin of gird²

C13 girden to strike, cut, of unknown origin

Origin of gird³

a Scot variant of girth

Example Sentences

Zahab is girding for Thursday’s donation, when a stylist from Hair Cuttery, one of the sponsors that Riya wrangled, will transform Zahab’s floor-length hair to shoulder-length hair.

From Washington Post

Indeed, gird your loins before pressing Returnal’s START button.

From Popular-Science

That means something as simple as dietary changes or nutritional supplements might help gird up weak immune systems.

From MIT Technology Review

America’s police departments are girding for disruptions at the polls.

From Ozy

So, spend a little time girding yourself for the fact that if you’re doing it right, your life is going to change.

From Freakonomics

They warn authorities to gird themselves for the possibility that many more men could surface.

From The Daily Beast

As we gird our national loins for the mid-term elections in November, here is a brisk primer on the movement.

From The Daily Beast

Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee.

From Project Gutenberg

In order to protect yourself from all evils, gird yourself with the rope with which a criminal has been hung.

From Project Gutenberg

My subordinates may gird their loins to leap and run and gesticulate, shedding their own blood the while in crimson streams.

From Project Gutenberg

Now gird thee well for courage, My knight of twenty year, Against the marching morrows That fill the world with fear!

From Project Gutenberg

But the men here think it but fair; gird about their loins and set about working their way through.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• brace