Middle English Dictionary Entry
awẹ̄lden v.
Entry Info
| Forms | awẹ̄lden v. Also awīlden, awealden, awālden, awōlden. Forms: sg. 3 awẹ̄ldeð, awealdeð, awelt, awalt; p. awelde, awalde, awẹ̄lded; ppl. aweld, awild, awealt, awald. |
| Etymology | WS ge)wildan, A ge)wældan & WS ge)wealdan, A ge)waldan, p. ge)wēold. In OE the weak and the strong verb are synonymous; in ME they are thoroughly confused, derivatives of the strong verb surviving only in the present stem. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To control, rule, govern, command; rule (a country); command (an army); have control of (one's body, desire, etc.), guide (one's) actions; wield (a weapon), manage (a horse); (b) to conquer, overcome; conquer (an adversary), capture (a city); subdue (the flesh, desire); ~ to dethe, put (sb.) to death.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)81 : Þe an..is sari for his sunne, ah he ne mei his flesc awelden.
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)189 : On þis fihte is ech man strong, þe awelt is lichame and his wille binimeð.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4083 : He mihte beren wepnen & his hors wel awilden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)23470 : Næs næuere king..þe eouere ær an uolde swulc folc awalde [Otho: awelde].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)23734 : Þat æuer ælc god mon..bidden ure drihten, þe alle domes awalt [Otho: weldeþ].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25068 : He biwon Rome and þa riche awelde.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)17213 : Mid slehþe me mai holde þat strengþe ne mai awilde [Clg: iwalden].
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(Hrl 2277)335 : As stif as enie bord hire honden bicome..heo nemiȝte hem awolde [Ld: a-welde] noȝt.
- (a1333) Herebert Iesu (Add 46919)8 : What mil[s]folnesse awalde þe..So bitter deth to þolien.
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)100 : God let mony mon croke and elde..Þat þei may not hemself awelde.
- ?c1400 Earth(2) (StJ-C E.24)st.2 : Whan erþe wynt erþe so luþur to a-wylde, And erþe on þis erþe eche day schal elde.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)463 : Al þe lawe..was not writen..but forto helpe forþ resoun to awielde hym þe better in þe lawe of natural kinde.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)196/28 : Þay myght not aweylde hit [þe couerlyt] yn þat schambyr, and ȝede wyth hit ynto þe halle.
- a1500 Arth.& M.(Dc 236)226 : Þey weren so ȝong..Þat þey myȝt non armes aweld.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4146 : Wel often he beoð awald þe stonded o þen woȝe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5921 : Heo breken þa Romwalles..and þa burh awelden [Otho: nome].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7921 : Awalde [Otho: awelde] we þe keisere & al his Romanisce here.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)27327 : We heom scullen awelden, leggen heom to grunde.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)63/673 : Þe reue..þohte wið hwuch mest wa he mahte hire awealden [Roy: awelden].
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)39a : Na þing ne awealdeð [Nero: aweldeð] wilde flesch, ne ne makeð hit tomre, þen muche wecche.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)5703 : Ne for alle þan fihte..ne mihte hii of Rome-wal noþing awelde [Clg: onwalden].
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)12084 : Alle were þe wifmen awild [Clg: awald] to þan deaþe.
- ?c1335 Elde makiþ me (Hrl 913)p.170 : When eld me wol aweld, mi wele is awai.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.91 : No men schulde hem awelde and wiþstonde, and þey were as strong..to dure as they beeþ angry to rese.
2.
(a) To have the strength or power (to do sth.), be able to manage; (b) to exert one's influence over (sb.), win over, persuade.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.259 : Þey þat were lefte on lyve myȝte unneþe awelde [L vix sufficerent] forto burye hem þat were dede.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)102b/b : Þerfore he schulde take more þan he myȝte a welde, but he were refreyned.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)463 : Vpon maters which resoun in natural liȝt may awielde.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)556 : Ich mahte..habben aweld [Tit: awealt] hire, ȝef ha nalde wið luue, wið luðer eie.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.325 : He plesede Englische men wiþ byhestes..In þe same manere, he awelde [vr. awelded; L inflexit] Roger eorle of Schroysbury.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)102b/b : He schulde take more þan he myȝte awelde but he were refreyned in gouernaunce of diete by a phisician wijs & waar.
Note: Additional quote(s)