gird your loins

gird (up) (one's) loins

To prepare oneself to face or contend with something. You better gird your loins in preparation for another holiday with my dysfunctional family! They better gird up their loins—the weather up there is no joke.
See also: gird, loin
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

gird your loins

or

gird up your loins

JOURNALISM, LITERARY
If someone girds their loins or girds up their loins, they prepare themselves mentally to deal with a difficult situation. He is girding his loins to demand financial compensation. I am girding up my loins for another round of high-level meetings. Note: This expression is used several times in the Bible. The Hebrews wore long loose robes which they tied up with a girdle or belt when they were working or travelling.
See also: gird, loin
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

gird (up) your loins

prepare and strengthen yourself for what is to come.
This expression is of biblical origin, the idea being that the long, loose garments worn in the ancient Orient had to be hitched up to avoid impeding a person's movement. In 1 Kings 18:45–6, we find: ‘And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And…Elijah…girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel’. The phrase was also used metaphorically in the New Testament: ‘Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you…’ (1 Peter 1:13).
See also: gird, loin
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

gird (up) your ˈloins

(literary or humorous) prepare yourself for action, hard work, etc: There’s a lot of hard work to be done before the weekend, so let’s gird up our loins and start.In the Bible, to gird your loins meant to pick up your robe and tie it about your waist so that you could run or move much more quickly.
See also: gird, loin
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • gird loins
  • gird one's loins
  • gird up loins
  • gird
  • gird (up) (one's) loins
  • gird (up) one's loins, to
  • kick (oneself) for (doing something)
  • wash hands of
  • wash your hands of
  • wash your hands of something/someone
References in periodicals archive
"Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Dependence on God
"Gird your loins for the defense, rescue, sanctuary and every type of aid to them and perform your obligation of Islamic sympathy towards them to your utmost extent," the Taliban told the Islamic countries in a statement.
Afghan Taliban urge Muslim nations to protect Rohangis
So, town planners, gird your loins, come out of the closet, prove visible counsellors, be pro-active in terms of getting things done, and offer your expertise and experience to the community at large so that Cyprus can emerge the more swiftly from a period of self-evident and gross ugliness -- and into the promised land of urban civility and attractiveness.
Expat View: Town planners are an invisible species
For more call 09050 700 443 Sagittarius Nov 23 - Dec 21 GRIT your teeth, gird your loins and anything else you want to clench.
stars
Gird your loins, people, because what I'm about to tell you may be upsetting: Kourtney Kardashian, the eldest child of America's First Family, has split with her American Psycho-like consort, Scott Disick.
Conspicuous Consumption: The Kardashians Lose Their Token Jewish Family Member
Summary: Gird your loins. Summer is around the corner and, if the news conferences are anything to go by, it looks as though the political tensions that characterize this region will not disrupt Lebanon's annual slate of festivals.
Jounieh's lineup for summer is set to sizzle
Either acquiesce to the regional bully or gird your loins, i.e., go nuclear.
'Regional' qualifiers
So gird your loins, gum shield your horses and hopefully like Justin Bieber's career, let's get this thing over with.
A VIEW FROM THE GALLOWGATE
The best way to "gird your loins" is to find a "mentor", accept your apprentice status, and follow his guidelines to the letter.
Regional forex trader 'needs unique perspective'
Gird your loins Bahrain, the F1 is coming and so is the objectionals' bus full of rampant nonsense, with Nabeel at the wheel!
Silent majority must help put F1 back on track
Best gird your loins now all you diehard Villans - there ain't going to be many points added between now and Christmas.
If the fans remain patient the team will get it right; FANS' VIEW
It's a tough start, but we've a big heart, Even if it is Arsenal, Then and only then can you see the light, gird your loins For the fight, It's the Mackems, second match in, we just have to win, See you there in the Stadium of Light.
READERS' POEMS
It's been coming for a long time, another gird your loins moment for lovers of high quality action adventures for young readers, Alex Rider's last outing as the teenage superspy.
Scorpia Rising
Rafa Nadal is returning from the injury that forced him out of Wimbledon, Roger Federer is playing his first event since becoming a daddy and Andrew Murray, urm, will no doubt spend most of the week sulking like a hormoneravaged schoolboy Preview page 100 7.30pm Speedway Elite League Sky Sports 2, 7.30pm-9.30 Start your engines, smooth your leathers and gird your loins - it's Belle Vue Aces versus Coventry Bees 7.45pm Football Carling Cup Sky Sports 1, 7.30pm-10 Darlington meet Leeds Preview page 103
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Sub-prime Super Elegance Gird your loins, Golden State enthusiasts.
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