gird

present singular third person girds · participle present girding · participle past girded · past girded · participle past girt · past girt

1. transitiveTo bind with a flexible rope or cord.

   The fasces were girt about with twine in bundles large.

   2 more examples

   We heere create thee the firſt Duke of Suffolke, / And girt thee with the Sword. Coſin of Yorke

   1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 120, column 2

   Gird thy sword vpon thy thigh, O most mightie: with thy glory and thy maiestie.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 45:3

2. transitiveTo encircle with, or as if with a belt.

   a castle girded with a moat

   5 more examples

   The lady girt herself with silver chain, from which she hung a golden shear.

   And he put vpon him the coate, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the Ephod vpon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the Ephod, and bound it vnto him therewith.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus 8:7

   The region of bliss is adorned all o'er With dinars, with rich stuffs, and with all costly store; The idol-adorers with fine gold are crowned, And girdles of gold gird the heroes renowned.

   1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 556

   Australia's sons, let us rejoice, / For we are young and free / We've golden soil and wealth for toil / Our home is girt by sea

   1878, Peter Dodds McCormick, “Advance Australia Fair”

   It took me back across the dim gulf of ages to some happy home in dead Imperial Kôr, where this winsome lady girt about with beauty had lived and died, and dying taken her last-born with her to the tomb.

   1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC

   Synonyms: girdle

3. reflexivetransitiveTo prepare (oneself) for an action.

   The poet is not trying to conform to any of the old standards of behavior. She is instead focusing her rage and girding herself for battle.

   1979 December 15, Stephanie Byrd, “An Injection of Spirit”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 21, page 10

   3 more examples

   Associate your selues, O ye people, and yee shalbe broken in pieces; and giue eare all ye of farre countreys: gird your selues, and ye shalbe broken in pieces; gird your selues, and ye shalbe broken in pieces.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Isaiah 8:9

   […] I was intrigued by the notion of ‘virtual beating’, so I entered the words in the Mamma search engine. I girded myself for the sleaziest sites on the net, the kind that advertise the video of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee uncut, […]

   2000 April 15, Tanya Millbank, “The net addict”, in The Guardian

   The remarks came just days after Putin appeared to be girding Russians for a protracted war in Ukraine, saying that his military operation could be a “long-term process”.

   2022 December 9, Andrew Roth, “Putin suggests possibility of settlement to end war in Ukraine”, in The Guardian

4. intransitivenautical(of a vessel towing another) To be pulled on sideways by its towline, putting it at risk of capsizing.

   1 more example

   On 19 July 2009, the tug North Arm Venture was towing the barge North Arm Express, loaded with fuel and deck cargo, from Toba Inlet to Sechelt Inlet. The tug girded and capsized at approximately 1250 Pacific Daylight Time while making a turn to port at the entrance to Sechelt Rapids .... Girding is defined as a situation where a vessel experiences athwartship forces from its towline. This situation can lead to a capsizing or foundering.

   2010, Transportation Safety Board of Canada, Marine Investigation Report M09W0141

plural girds

1. A sarcastic remark.

   I thank thee for that gird, good Tranio.

   c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]

2. A stroke with a rod or switch.
3. A severe spasm; a twinge; a pang.

   Conscience […] is freed from many fearful girds and twinges which the atheist feels.

   1671, John Tillotson, “Sermon II. The Folly of Scoffing at Religion. 2 Pet[er] III. 3.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], London: […] B. Aylmer, […]; [a]nd W. Rogers, […], published 1696, →OCLC

present singular third person girds · participle present girding · participle past girded · past girded

1. transitiveTo jeer at.

   Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods.

   c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]

   Synonyms: flout, jibe, fleer, flout, jeer, jibe, scoff, scorn

2. intransitiveTo jeer.

   Men of all sorts take a pride to gird at me.

   c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

   Synonyms: scoff, scorn, jeer, jibe, laugh at, scoff, scorn, sneer