gird

1 of 3

verb (1)

girded ˈgər-dəd How to pronounce gird (audio) or girt ˈgərt How to pronounce gird (audio) ; girding

transitive verb

1
: to prepare (oneself) for action
2
a
: to encircle or bind with a flexible band (such as a belt)
b
: to make (something, such as clothing or a sword ) fast or secure (as with a cord or belt)
gird a sword by a belt
c
3
: provide, equip
especially : to invest with the sword of knighthood

intransitive verb

: to prepare for action
Both sides are girding for battle.

gird

2 of 3

verb (2)

girded; girding; girds

transitive verb

: to sneer at : mock

intransitive verb

: gibe, rail
An unbearable ill-humour settled on the ship: men, mates, and master, girding at one another all day long.Robert Louis Stevenson

gird

3 of 3

noun

: a sarcastic remark
Phrases
gird one's loins
: to prepare for action : muster up one's resources

Examples of gird in a Sentence

Verb (1) for the celebration of the heroes' return, well-wishers girded hundreds of trees with yellow ribbons she girded her waist with a delicate sash the Spartan warrior girded himself for battle with sword and shield a tall hedge girds the exclusive estate and shields it from prying eyes Noun in her farewell speech, the departing governor got in some retaliatory girds at the media
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Chappell Roan showed up to the 2024 Video Music Awards with her loins girded and her sword unsheathed. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2024 Studio commissaries, cafeterias and executive dining rooms long have been spaces to surreptitiously goggle at visiting talent as well as places to be seen with the powers that be for girding one’s position in the corporate pecking order. Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Nov. 2024 Walz was girded for war against Vance, who has spent the past 10 weeks defending past controversial remarks. Mike Allen, Axios, 3 Oct. 2024 Elliott and Southwest as recently as last week had been girding up for a proxy fight. Rohan Goswami, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for gird 

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English girden "to encircle the waist of, put a belt about, prepare (oneself)," going back to Old English gyrdan "to encircle with a belt, equip," going back to Germanic *gurđjan- (whence also Old Saxon gurdian "to encircle with a belt," Old High German gurten, Old Norse gyrða), probably from a zero-grade derivative of the Indo-European root seen in *ghorto- or *ghordho- "enclosure" — more at yard entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English, to strike, thrust

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2a

Verb (2)

1546, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1566, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gird was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near gird

Cite this Entry

“Gird.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gird. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

gird

verb
ˈgərd
girded
ˈgərd-əd
or girt
ˈgərt
; girding
1
: to encircle or fasten with or as if with a belt or cord
2
: to provide especially with the sword of knighthood
3
: to get ready (as for a fight)

More from Merriam-Webster on gird

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