- To gird up
- Gird Gird (g[~e]rd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Girt}or {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[eth]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.
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2. To make fast, as clothing, by binding with a cord, girdle, bandage, etc. [1913 Webster]
3. To surround; to encircle, or encompass. [1913 Webster]
That Nyseian isle, Girt with the River Triton. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
4. To clothe; to swathe; to invest. [1913 Webster]
I girded thee about with fine linen. --Ezek. xvi. 10. [1913 Webster]
The Son . . . appeared Girt with omnipotence. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
5. To prepare; to make ready; to equip; as, to gird one's self for a contest. [1913 Webster]
Thou hast girded me with strength. --Ps. xviii. 39. [1913 Webster]
{To gird on}, to put on; to fasten around or to one securely, like a girdle; as, to gird on armor or a sword. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
He girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab. --1 Kings xviii. 46. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
