UNDERGIRD: to form the basis or foundation of: strengthen, support
The English verb "gird" means, among other things, "to encircle or bind with a flexible band." When "undergird" first entered English in the 16th centry, it meant "to make secure underneat," as by passing a rope or chain underneath something (such as a ship). That literal sense has long since fallen out of use, but in the 19th century "undergird" picked up the figurative "strengthen" or "support" sense that we still use. "Gird" and consequently "undergird" both derive from the Old English geard, meaning "enclosure" or "yard." "Gird" also gives us "girder," a noun referring to a horizontal piece supporting a structure.
No comments:
Post a Comment