gird

WOTD – 2 September 2010

English

Heracles girding Antaeus

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɡɜːd/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɡɝd/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Etymology 1

Old English gyrdan (“to put a belt around, to put a girdle around”). Cognate with Albanian ngërthej (“to tie together by weaving, to bind”).

Verb

gird (third-person singular simple present girds, present participle girding, simple past and past participle girded or girt)

1. (transitive) To bind with a flexible rope or cord.

   The fasces were girt about with twine in bundles large.

2. (transitive) To encircle with, or as if with a belt.

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

   Our home is girt by sea... - Advance Australia Fair

3. (transitive) To prepare oneself for an action.

Translations

to bind with a flexible rope or cord

• Finnish: sitoa (fi)
• French: lier (fr) ceindre (fr) garrotter (fr) ligaturer (fr)
• Italian: legare (it) allaciare

• Russian: связывать (ru) impf (sv'ázyvat'), связать (ru) pf (sv'azát')
• Spanish: atar (es) ligar (es)
• Swedish: binda (sv), bunta

to encircle with, or as if with a belt

• Finnish: vyöttää (fi) ((as if) with a belt); ympäröidä (fi) (surround)
• French: ceindre (fr) ceinturer (fr) entourer (fr) enserrer (fr)
• Italian: cinturare cingere (it) circondare (it)

• Russian: подпоясывать (ru) impf (podpojásyvat'), подпоясать (ru) pf (podpojásat'), окружать (ru) (okružatʹ), огораживать (ru) (ogoraživatʹ), окаймлять (ru) (okajmljatʹ), охватывать (ru) (oxvatyvatʹ), опоясывать (ru) (opojasyvatʹ)
• Spanish: ceñir (es) rodear (es) cercar (es) encerrar (es)
• Swedish: spänna (sv), omgärda (sv), omgjorda (sv), omringa

Related terms

• girder
• girdle
• gird up one’s loins
• girt
• undergird

Etymology 2

Noun

gird (plural girds)

1. A sarcastic remark.
   • Shakespeare

     I thank thee for that gird, good Tranio.

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

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

Translations

sarcastic remark

• Finnish: vinoilu

• Russian: насмешка (ru) f (nasmeška)
• Swedish: pik (sv) c

Verb

gird (third-person singular simple present girds, present participle girding, simple past and past participle girded)

1. (transitive) To jeer at.
   • Shakespeare

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

2. (intransitive) To jeer.
   • Shakespeare

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

Translations

To jeer at

• Russian: насмехаться (ru) (nasmexatʹsja)

To jeer

• Russian: насмехаться (ru) (nasmexatʹsja)

Anagrams

• grid, GRID