expression, ichidan verb
wear a sword; carry a sword at one's side
Literary or historical expression for wearing a sword, typically a katana, thrust through the sash. The synonymous expression 剣を帯びる (けんをおびる) is also used.
See also: 剣を帯びる
侍は腰に刀を帯びていた。
The samurai wore a sword at his hip.
Synonymous expression; 剣 can refer to a double-edged sword or a sword in general, while 刀 specifically refers to a katana or single-edged sword.
Compound of 刀 (katana) + を (object marker) + 帯びる (to wear at the waist). The verb 帯びる originally meant 'to carry at the waist' and is now mostly used in fixed expressions.