From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgirdgird /ɡɜːd $ ɡɜːrd/ verb (past tense and past participle girded or girt /ɡɜːt $ ɡɜːrt/) 1 → gird (up) your loins2 [intransitive, transitive] if you gird for something, or gird yourself for something, especially something difficult, you prepare for itgird (yourself) for something By midsummer both police and protesters were girding for confrontation.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
gird• A full frontal approach was certain to come, and Carla did her best to be girded against such a confrontation.• By midsummer, both sides were girding for action.• Nevertheless, the government is girding for possible trouble.• I girded myself for the next day.• We're just unwinding before girding our loins for London.• The Romans enclosed the town with walls that still gird the Old City.• The first people to leave went off hastily, while others lingered, girding themselves for the streets.gird (yourself) for something• Both the defenders and opponents of the Constitution girded for a tough fight.• By midsummer, both sides were girding for action.• Nevertheless, the government is girding for possible trouble.• Offensive line is the area of greatest concern as the 49ers gird for the second half of the season.Origin gird Old English gyrdan 