gird up one's loins

• gird one's loins, girdle one's loins

Likely a Hebraism, often used in the King James Bible (e.g., 2 Kings 4:29). Literally referred to the need to strap a belt around one's waist, i.e. when getting up, in order to avoid the cloak falling off; or otherwise before battle, to unimpede the legs for running.

gird up one's loins (third-person singular simple present girds up one's loins, present participle girding up one's loins, simple past and past participle girded up one's loins or (archaic) girt up one's loins)

1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To prepare oneself for something demanding.
   • 1857, Herman Melville, chapter 37, in The Confidence Man:

     Man came into this world, not to sit down and muse, not to befog himself with vain subtleties, but to gird up his loins and to work.

   • 1920, Lucy Maud Montgomery, chapter 9, in Rilla of Ingleside:

     Then Susan said briskly, "Well, we must just gird up our loins and pitch in."

   • 2004, "Editorial," nepalnews.com (Nepal), vol. 24, no. 6 (Aug 3-19):

     King Gyanendra must gird up his loins and prepare himself for all exigencies.

   Synonyms: brace oneself, eat one's Wheaties, roll up one's sleeves, shape up, steel oneself, suck it up

• batten down the hatches
• tighten one's belt