Gird definition | Dictionary.com

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.

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

Origin:
bef. 950; ME girden, OE gyrdan; c. G gürten

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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gird

2 [gurd]

–verb (used without object)

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

–verb (used with object)

2.	to gibe or jeer at; taunt.

–noun

a gibe.

Origin:
1175–1225; ME gyrd a stroke, blow, hence a cutting remark, deriv. of girden to strike, smite < ?

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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gird¹   (gûrd) Pronunciation Key
v.   gird·ed or girt (gûrt), gird·ing, girds

v.   tr.

1. To encircle with a belt or band.
2. To fasten or secure (clothing, for example) with a belt or band.
3. To surround. See Synonyms at surround.
To equip or endow.
To prepare (oneself) for action.

v. intr.
To prepare for action: "Men still spoke of peace but girded more sternly for war" (W. Bruce Lincoln).

[Middle English girden, from Old English gyrdan; see gher-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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gird²   (gûrd) Pronunciation Key
intr. & tr.v.   gird·ed, gird·ing, girds
To jeer or jeer at.
n.   A sarcastic remark.

[Middle English girden, to strike.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

gird

O.E. gyrdan "put a belt or girdle around," from P.Gmc. *gurthjanan (cf. O.N. gyrða, O.Fris. gerda, O.H.G. gurtan, Ger. Gürten). Related to O.E. geard "hedge, enclosure" (see yard (1)). Girder "main beam that carries flooring" is first attested 1611.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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gird
verb
1.	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" [syn: arm] [ant: demilitarise]
2.	put a girdle on or around; "gird your loins" [syn: girdle]
3.	bind with something round or circular

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Gird

Gird\, n. [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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Gird

Gird\, v. t. [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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Gird

Gird\, v. i. 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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Gird

Gird\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Girtor Girded; p. pr. & vb. n. Girding.] [OE. girden, gurden, AS. gyrdan; akin to OS. gurdian, D. gorden, OHG. gurten, G. g["u]rten, Icel. gyr?a, Sw. gjorda, Dan. giorde, Goth. biga['i]rdan 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.