Middle English Dictionary Entry
wẹ̄ld n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wẹ̄ld n. Also welde, weolde, wald(e, wold(e, wild(e, (N) weild(e, wielde, (early) weald(e, walte & wēld(e & (error, for rime) waile. |
| Etymology | OE weald, (A) wald power; for forms with -eo- & -i- also cp. OE gewild, geweold. Cp. ME awōld n., iwāld n., a few exx. of which could also be construed as this word; occas. phrases presumably with tọ̄̆ prep. could also be construed as wẹ̄lden v. with tọ̄̆ verbal particle. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. anwald n.
1.
(a) Dominion; sphere, domain; also, control, authority; haven in (to) ~;
(b) power; grasp; also, command; also, a state of domination; at wille and (at) ~;
(c) might, wealth, influence; force, strength; also, significance; also, capability [quot. a1500];
(d) the ability to control the use, actions, or disposition of something, mastery; also, the capacity to make proper use of something; gen. weldes, used predicatively: of one’s own accord [cp. weldes adv.]; in ~, in one’s mastery or capacity, in hand.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)102/28 : He alle ricen…& alle isceaftæ on his weald hæfð.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.204 : Þe Laferrd Crist…ȝaff hiss aȝhenn lif…To lesenn mannkinn…Ut off þe defless walde.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4093 : Abraham itt [circumcision] toc onn himm…& ec onn all þatt weppmannkinn Þatt wass inn hise walde.
- ?a1300 Sirith (Dgb 86)325 : Þe louerd…heuene and erþe haueþ to welde.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)188/121 : Ovre godes…alle þing habbeth to wolde.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3412 : Al bi ðhusenz ðis folc was told; Ilc ðhusent adde a meister wold.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3716 : Send me grace þat y mote þe seo, On crysten mannes welde.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)388 : God…alle þing haþ in wolde.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)22873 : Heyuin & erþ alle in þaire waldis [Vsp: haldes]…miȝti god alle vp-haldis.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)7163 : Þese philistiens…þe iewes were vndir her walde.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511:Sullens)5247 : Tenuacius was erle of Cornwaile, had þe regne alle in his waile [Lamb: baylle].
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6707 : Þou shalt habbe…fyue hundreþ ceptres of golde, And my londe al to wolde [LinI: to þy wold], And an hundreþ þousande gentil squyers.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)60/237 : Lord, þat all has in walde…Send us sum takening of þi grace.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)2006 : The geant…had those londis in wolde.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)52.728 : My body and lyf I putte In thi welde, holich, Sire kyng, Into thy Bandom And At thyn Ordenance.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)828 : Thaire saules went alle to lucyfere Þat hade þam alle to welde.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)10126 : Ierusalem Cyte sall he haue in his wald.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7115 : Vengeaunce To þaim þat did þare grete greuaunce To þe pepill of his weelde.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)8276 : Counceile oght to be holde To him þat haþ al in wolde, Þat is God.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)8356 : Whanne þe flewmes haue al In her welde, þan þer shal A greet cooldnesse in þe man arise.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)100/1 : Ðe deofel…his wylles weald on him æhte.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)62 : Ne mihhte naniȝ mann…Utbresstenn…ut off helle walde.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)16531 : Nollde nohht te Laferrd Crist Himm don i þeȝȝre walde.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)115/2 : All his ofspreng eng hafð dieuel swo on his walte ðat…alle he bringþ in to helle.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)160/1 : A mon þe hefde al þe world o walde [Nero: awold; Cleo: onwalde]…hu he walde murnin.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1958 : Ioseph…wast bettre he ðus was sold, Dan he ðor storue in here wold.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)462 : Al sal be at myn auen weild [Göt: weilde].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9482-3 : Nu has him sathanas in wald, His thral he was to haue in weild.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12955 : Þe warlau…hint his lauerd al in his wald [Frf: vp in his walde; Göt: all in wald] In armes his.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)49/591 : Y shal ȝeue þe loue at wold.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)837 : Al is yowre awen to haue at yowre wylle & welde.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)395 : The tyme, that hath al in welde [F Li tens…tout a en baillie] To elden folk, had maad hir elde.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)285/357 : Þis wighte ȝe haue wrapped in wolde.
- a1500 Awntyrs Arth.(Dc 324)666 : I gif sir Gawayne…Þe worship of Wales at wil and al [?read: at] wolde [Thrn: to welde and to wolde].
c
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2000 : He wurð ðo so kinde cold, To don swilc dede adde he no wold.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2122 : Ðe king him bad…rechen ðis dremes wold.
- ?c1335 Lollai lollai (Hrl 913)12 : Lollai…litil child…Þou nost noȝt þis world-is wild bifor þe is isette.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)875 : Þe rihtwys sone hire ches And schadewede on hire in wolde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3564 : Til vnwelth windes al his wald.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10593 : Sco was won to þe heist stride Wit-vten help o man o weld.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18044 : Þis word wit-stand had i na wald [Trin-C: myȝt].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.128 : Henry þe scecunde, So riche a prince in wold in þis lond siþen non funde.
- a1425 Siege Troy(1) (LinI 150)48/591 : Þou schalt haue loue and wolde.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2689 : Þoffe…the wielde of myn arme werkkes a littill.
- (1474) Let.Christ Ch.in RS 85.3280 : The weld of the seid two Dukes hath put the same Lowes and all his hoste to dishonour.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)2360 : Adam…him bihoued amendis to ȝelde, And þat had he noght in his welde.
d
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)79 : Swo holie mihte is þoleburdnesse þat he þe hit kið þer þurh haueð his soule weald…and þermide ouercumeð þe unfele, and his soule lokeð, and haueð swo wald.
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.47 : Ȝonge and olde, Þe wiles þey haven here tonge i wolde, Þey seken here soules bote.
- a1350 God þat al þis myhtes (Hrl 2253)34 : God…þy gode myht þou hast in wolde.
- a1350 Prov.Hend.(Hrl 2253)299 : Whil ȝe habbeþ wyt at wolde Secheþ ore soule bote.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)22.276/12 : Þe fend…him held so harde þat he hedde neiþer in weld Tonge ne hond.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.109 : Crist was of tuelf winter elde Quen al wisdom was in his weld.
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)147/9 : Schrift owe to ben willes & weldes & nouȝth drawen of þe.
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)21917 : Alle sal we dei baþe ginge and alde; Es nan hauis of him seluin walde.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)357 : Þai…merualyd…þat so ȝonge a chyld wald…Goddes werkes haue in welde.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1202 : He had his wittes wele in welde.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)3233 : Goo thow…That wyse wordys haste in wolde.
2.
(a) Keeping, possession; also in fig. context; haven in ~;
(b) governance, charge, custody; also, protection; arke ~, the protection of the ark, ?the ark shelter.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)205 : No man ne mai folȝe me bute he forsake alle þe woreld winne þat he weld ahg.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)4/27 : Ha…bitahte in his hond…al þet heo eauer i þe world i wald hahte.
- a1225 PMor.(Dgb 4)st.185 : Inoh he haueð þet hine haueð þet alle þing haueð on wealde.
- a1300 No god (Em 27)11 : Þe on þat haueþ þes worlde i wolde þes ten hestes us biddeth holde.
- c1330(c1250) Floris (Auch)366 : Þou schalt in þin owen wolde þi gode cop…atholde.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)2081 : Þis coupe of gold…Amiloun…hadde in wold When þat he went me fro.
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)999 : He no wold…Bot…to hauen in weld þat his auncestres held.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4429 : Þe ston…was of so stif vertu þat never…wrongli schold he wive þat it in wold hadde.
- c1390 Ihesu Crist þat is (Vrn)84 : Ihesu…Ȝif me studefast hope…To haue þe, lord, euer in my welde.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)207 : Þe bu[r]gays…haþ take þe King to wolde þe seluer and þe coupe of golde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2393 : Þat land…Quit he wend haue it in wald.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.160 : Vitaile inouh at weld [vr. wille] þei fond of corn & hay.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)451 : Alderlast…Was peynted pouert…That not a peny hadde in wolde.
- a1425 Iesu þat wolde (LdMisc 463)p.192 : If a man haue…Leid to wedde…broche or ring, And he þat it haþ in wolde Hereþ telle it mot beo solde, [etc.].
- (1432) RParl.4.418b : He…in this lond hath taryed…in leyng for the saide pursuyt his godes and Jewelles to weolde, to his undoyng.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5127 : Cassibolan had sorewe in wold.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)4/67 : All welth in my weelde es.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)9629 : Dauid…had welth in wold.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)326/15 : It is hevie to hafe þat in welde þat no man dedengnys to hafe.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)342/137 : I gaf myself to wold to you in fourme of bred.
b
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)576 : Noe…dede him in ðe arche wold.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)614 : Noe sag ut of ðe arche wolde.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)588 : Whan it worþ þi fader y-teld Þatow hast mine hert in weld…he wil me sle.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)p.183 : Þi folk, Lord…þou had in welde [cp. Vulg. Ex.15.16: possedisti].
- c1390 Marie Mayden (Vrn)36 : Þou þat worþly hed wonnen in wolde…Þat tyde…þe Angel tolde Of þe schulde springe þe Flourdelys.
- c1425 How GWife(1) (Hnt HM 128)172/200 : Be þou wise wif of þin owen þat þou hast in wolde.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)22 : Þe erle hym had in walde.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)501 : For al þe saules þai hase in welde And for his awn saule sall he ȝelde Reknyng to crist.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)745 : Launcelot…thou hast all my hert in wold.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)90/145 : I am his, madyn at his hand And in his wold.