gird /ɡɜːd $ ɡɜːrd/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle girded or girt /ɡɜːt $ ɡɜːrt/)
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: gyrdan ]
1 . gird (up) your loins to get ready to do something difficult – used humorously
2 . [intransitive and transitive] if you gird for something, or gird yourself for something, especially something difficult, you prepare for it
gird (yourself) for something
By midsummer both police and protesters were girding for confrontation.