ungirth

present singular third person ungirths · participle present ungirthing · participle past ungirthed · past ungirthed

1. To unfasten or remove a girth or belt from.

   Whenever he entered a house he would ungirth his horse and carry the heavy sacks into the house with him.

   1969, Robert Edward Gard, This is Wisconsin, page 277

   4 more examples

   Suffice it that the Lord Abbot had ordered these, our zealous and faithful vassals, instantly to set forth to guard thee from imminent peril–Ye may ungirth your horses, children, and dismiss; and, tomorrow, each who was at this rendezvous may send to the convent kitchen for a quarter of a yard of roastbeef, and a black-jack full of double ale.

   1820, Sir Walter Scott, The Monastery

   The man remonstrated, saying he was going a long journey; that his horse was his property and would be lost in Smyrna, and alleged several other good reasons for refusing compliance : but Mustafa made no other reply than that he would have the horse, and, raising his whip, used such threatening gestures that the Christian dismounted, and prepared to ungirth the saddle.

   1846, Charles Lewis Meryon, Travels of Lady Hester Stanhope

   Here is Maryland, whose massive columns wheeled into line with those of Virginia in the contest for glory, and whose State-house at Annapolis was the theatre of a spectacle of a successful commander, who, after liberating his country, gladly ungirthed his sword and laid it down upon the altar of that country.

   1861, John Tyler, quotee, Official Journal of the Conference Convention, page 7

   Mr Peter, who in the sister isle would, unmistakably, be simple "Pat," helps us to ungirth our mules, which immediately roll and luxuriate in the warm dust, kicking up their heels, and squeezing myriads of flies to death.

   1871, Peeps at foreign countries, page 108