GIRD

A stroke with a rod or switch; a severe spasm; a twinge; a pang. Conscience . . . is freed from many fearful girds and twinges which the atheist feels. Tillotson.

A cut; a sarcastic remark; a gibe; a sneer. I thank thee for that gird, good Tranio. Shak.

To strike; to smite. [Obs.] To slay him and to girden off his head. Chaucer.

To sneer at; to mock; to gibe. Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods. Shak.

To gibe; to sneer; to break a scornful jest; to utter severe sarcasms. Men of all sorts take a pride to gird at me. Shak.

To encircle or bind with any flexible band.

To make fast, as clothing, by binding with a cord, girdle, bandage, etc.

To surround; to encircle, or encompass. That Nyseian isle, Girt with the River Triton. Milton.

To clothe; to swathe; to invest. I girded thee about with fine linen. Ezek. xvi. 10. The Son . . . appeared Girt with omnipotence. Milton.

To prepare; to make ready; to equip; as, to gird one's self for a contest. Thou hast girded me with strength. Ps. xviii. 39. To gird on, to put on; to fasten around or to one securely, like a girdle; as, to gird on armor or a sword. 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. He girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab. 1 Kings xviii. 46. 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.