gird

¹ American  

[gurd] / gɜrd /

verb (used with object)

girded, girt, girding

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.

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gird ² American  

[gurd] / gɜrd /

verb (used without object)

1. to gibe; jeer (usually followed byat ).

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verb (used with object)

1. to gibe or jeer at; taunt.

noun

1. a gibe.

gird ¹ British  

/ ɡɜːd /

verb

1. to jeer (at someone); mock

2. (tr) to strike (a blow at someone)

3. (intr) to move at high speed

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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 ² British  

/ 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

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gird ³ British  

/ ɡɪrd /

noun

1. Also: girr.  a hoop, esp a child's hoop

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Other Word Forms

• girdingly
  adverb

Etymology

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 < ?

Explanation

"Gird your loins and prepare for battle!" Okay, no one says "gird your loins" anymore (which basically means "tighten your pants"), but gird is still used as a verb to mean "get ready for a dangerous situation." To gird is to prepare for a military attack, but more loosely it refers to readying oneself for any kind of confrontation. When you gird for something, you are preparing for the worst-case scenario. Gird can also mean "fasten something tightly with a belt or a band" (as in "gird your loins"), or it can mean "to surround or encircle." A field that is girded by trees is surrounded and encircled by trees.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gird girded girding girt

For Jones and his salvation army it's a day to gird the loins and fight back.

From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2026

Doing so would help investors gird against volatility that might follow.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 15, 2026

But such extreme conditions are rare and individual homeowners can take steps to gird themselves against more-common wildfires.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2025

The state’s public transportation agency, NJ Transit, scrapped plans for a similar backup plant last month in nearby Kearny, saying resiliency improvements to the electrical gird made the project unnecessary.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 4, 2024

But we’re going to have to talk about it soon, so gird your loins, reader.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

He girded himself to “understand better now what I’ve always known: he who drags himself through life, who succumbs under its weight, can’t help anyone, no matter what duties he takes on.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

Tynecastle rubbed its eyes and then girded its loins.

From BBC ● Jan. 25, 2026

Meanwhile, both nations have girded themselves for a lengthy confrontation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2025

European shares closed higher, led higher by mining stocks as investors girded themselves for the U.S.

From Reuters ● Sep. 11, 2023

The woman drew a long breath and the Nolans girded themselves for bargaining.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

While software stocks on the list like Zoom, Okta and the Trade Desk have strong numbers, they are girding for a widely expected battle with AI.

From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026

Few observers think the union is girding for another showdown, especially at a time when many of its members are struggling to find work amid media consolidation and belt-tightening.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 14, 2026

With daylight-saving time set to begin this Sunday, Americans will once again be girding themselves for the “spring forward” ritual of setting their clocks an hour ahead and potentially losing some sleep.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 6, 2026

The U.S. oil giant has cut $15 billion from its structural costs in recent years, girding its balance sheet for times of lower oil prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026

I turned on the stool to face her, girding myself.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

And at the center is Finland, a country of just 5.4 million people, girt by the sea and lashed by the wind.

From The New Yorker ● May 12, 2015

Within two years, he declared, the British Empire will have scrapped her historic free trade policy, girt herself with a tariff wall against U. S. and even European competition.

From Time Magazine Archive

To prevent injury or death in case of such a mishap the 20-lb. rotor is girt by an 800-lb. steel shell, 5 in. thick.

From Time Magazine Archive

Fellow passengers took small note of the droopy, bedraggled mustache, the old fashioned spectacles, the somewhat scrawny neck girt by a casual tie.

From Time Magazine Archive

Gandalf bore his staff, but girt at his side was the elven-sword Glamdring, the mate of Orcrist that lay now upon the breast of Thorin under the Lonely Mountain.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Related Words

• brace