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

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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

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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. gürten, Icel. gyr, Sw. gjorda, Dan. giorde, Goth. bigaírdan 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

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