GIRD
arm, build up, fortify, gird
(verb) prepare oneself for a military confrontation; “The U.S. is girding for a conflict in the Middle East”; “troops are building up on the Iraqi border”
gird, encircle
(verb) bind with something round or circular
girdle, gird
(verb) put a girdle on or around; “gird your loins”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology 1
Verb
gird (third-person singular simple present girds, present participle girding, simple past and past participle girt or girded)
(transitive) To bind with a flexible rope or cord.
(transitive) To encircle with, or as if with a belt.
(transitive, reflexive) To prepare oneself for an action.
Etymology 2
Noun
gird (plural girds)
A sarcastic remark.
A stroke with a rod or switch.
A severe spasm; a twinge; a pang.
Verb
gird (third-person singular simple present girds, present participle girding, simple past and past participle girded)
(transitive) To jeer at.
(intransitive) To jeer.
Anagrams
• GRID, grid
Source: Wiktionary
Gird, n. Etym: [See Yard a measure.]
1. A stroke with a rod or switch; a severe spasm; a twinge; a pang.
Conscience . . . is freed from many fearful girds and twinges which
the atheist feels. Tillotson.
2. A cut; a sarcastic remark; a gibe; a sneer.
I thank thee for that gird, good Tranio. Shak.
Gird, v. t. Etym: [See Gird, n., and cf. Girde, v.]
1. To strike; to smite. [Obs.]
To slay him and to girden off his head. Chaucer.
2. To sneer at; to mock; to gibe.
Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods. Shak.
Gird, v. i.
Definition: To gibe; to sneer; to break a scornful jest; to utter severe
sarcasms.
Men of all sorts take a pride to gird at me. Shak.
Gird, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Girt or Girded; p. pr. & vb. n. Girding.]
Etym: [OE. girden, gurden, AS. gyrdan; akin to OS. gurdian, D.
gorden, OHG. gurten, G. gĂĽrten, Icel. gyr, Sw. gjorda, Dan. giorde,
Goth. bigaĂrdan to begird, and prob. to E. yard an inclosure. Cf.
Girth, n. & v., Girt, v. t.]
1. To encircle or bind with any flexible band.
2. To make fast, as clothing, by binding with a cord, girdle,
bandage, etc.
3. To surround; to encircle, or encompass.
That Nyseian isle, Girt with the River Triton. Milton.
4. To clothe; to swathe; to invest.
I girded thee about with fine linen. Ezek. xvi. 10.
The Son . . . appeared Girt with omnipotence. Milton.
5. To prepare; to make ready; to equip; as, to gird one's self for a
contest.
Thou hast girded me with strength. Ps. xviii. 39.
To gird on, to put on; to fasten around or to one securely, like a
girdle; as, to gird on armor or a sword.
Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that
putteth it off. 1 Kings xx. 11.
– To gird up, to bind tightly with a girdle; to support and
strengthen, as with a girdle.
He girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab. 1 Kings xviii. 46.
Gird up the loins of your mind. 1 Pet. i. 13.
– Girt up; prepared or equipped, as for a journey or for work, in
allusion to the ancient custom of gathering the long flowing garments
into the girdle and tightening it before any exertion; hence,
adjectively, eagerly or constantly active; strenuous; striving. "A
severer, more girt-up way of living." J. C. Shairp.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition