begird

English

Etymology

From Middle English begirden, from Old English begyrdan (“to gird, clothe, surround, fortify”), from Proto-Germanic *bi- + *gurdijaną (“to gird”), equivalent to be- +‎ gird. Cognate with Old High German begurtjan (“to begird”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌲𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌳𐌰𐌽 (bigairdan, “to begird”). More at be-, gird.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)d

Verb

begird (third-person singular simple present begirds, present participle begirding, simple past and past participle begirt or begirded)

1. (transitive, archaic) To bind with a band or girdle; to gird.
   • 1634, William Wood, “Of Their Apparell, Ornaments, Paintings, and Other Artificiall Deckings”, in New Englands Prospect. A True, Lively, and Experimentall Description of that Part of America, Commonly Called New England; […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Bellamie, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Of the Indians, […]), page 66:

     [A] Sagamore with a Humberd in his eare for a pendant, a black havvke on his occiput for his plume, Movvhackees for his gold chaine, good ſtore of VVampompeage begirting his loynes, his bovv in his hand, his quiver at his back, vvith ſix naked Indian ſplatterlaſhes at his heeles for his guard, thinkes himſelfe little inferiour to the great Cham; hee vvill not ſtick to ſay, hee is all one vvith King Charles.

   • 1768, Mr. Yorick [pseudonym; Laurence Sterne], A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy, volume II, London: […] T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt, […], →OCLC, page 49:

     He was begirt with a clean linen apron which fell below his knees […]

   • 1876, William Morris (translator), The Æneids of Virgil, London: Ellis & White, Book 5, line 364, p. 130,^[1]

     Let him come forth to raise his arm with hide-begirded hand.

2. (transitive, archaic) To encircle, surround, as with a gird; enclose; encompass.
   • c. 1620s, John Webster, Appius and Virginia‎^[2], London, published 1654, Act II, Scene 1, pp. 16-17:

     […] I will stand my self
     for the whole Regiment, and safer far
     in mine owne single valour, then begirt
     with cowards and with traitors.

   • 1662, [Samuel Butler], “[The First Part of Hudibras]”, in Hudibras. The First and Second Parts. […], London: […] John Martyn and Henry Herringman, […], published 1678; republished in A[lfred] R[ayney] Waller, editor, Hudibras: Written in the Time of the Late Wars, Cambridge: University Press, 1905, →OCLC, canto II, page 42:

     Who having round begirt the Palace, / (As once a moth they do the Gallows) / As Members gave the sign about / Set up their throats with hideous shout.

   • 1717, Arthur Maynwaring (translator), Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books, London: Jacob Tonson, Book 5, “The Story of Perseus continu’d,” p. 148,^[3]

     Perseus begirt, from all around they pour

     Their Lances on him, a tempestuous Show’r,

     Aim’d all at him […]

   • 1749, [John Cleland], “[Letter the First]”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], volume I, London: […] G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC, page 211:

     [A]nd now I had him every way encircled and begirt; and having drawn him home to me, I kept him faſt there, as if I had ſought to unite bodies with him at that point.

   • 1755, Philip Doddridge, Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures‎^[4], Salop, page 1:

     O lead me to that happy Path,
     Where I my GOD may meet;
     Tho’ Hosts of Foes begird it round,
     Tho’ Briars wound my Feet.

   • 1782, Euripides, “[Fragments.] Danae.”, in Michael Wodhull, transl., The Nineteen Tragedies and Fragments of Euripides. [...] In Four Volumes, volume IV, London: […] Thomas Payne and Son, […], →OCLC, page 225:

     Theſe manſions, and this fortreſs well begirt, / With lofty ramparts, no vain pomp diſplay.

   • 1859, Charles Dickens, chapter XXIII, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC:

     The chateau burned; the nearest trees, laid hold of by the fire, scorched and shrivelled; trees at a distance, fired by the four fierce figures, begirt the blazing edifice with a new forest of smoke.

Usage notes

Rare in forms other than the past participle/simple past begirt.

Translations

bind with a band or girdle

• Bulgarian: опасвам (bg) (opasvam), запасвам (bg) (zapasvam)
• Dutch: omringen (nl), omsingelen (nl)

encircle

Anagrams

• BIRGed, Bridge, bridge