Wield

Wield
Wield Wield, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wielded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Wielding}.] [OE. welden to govern, to have power over, to possess, AS. geweldan, gewyldan, from wealdan; akin to OS. waldan, OFries. walda, G. walten, OHG. waltan, Icel. valda, Sw. v[*a]lla to occasion, to cause, Dan. volde, Goth. waldan to govern, rule, L. valere to be strong. Cf. {Herald}, {Valiant}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To govern; to rule; to keep, or have in charge; also, to possess. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

When a strong armed man keepeth his house, all things that he wieldeth ben in peace. --Wyclif (Luke xi. 21). [1913 Webster]

Wile [ne will] ye wield gold neither silver ne money in your girdles. --Wyclif (Matt. x. 9.) [1913 Webster]

2. To direct or regulate by influence or authority; to manage; to control; to sway. [1913 Webster]

The famous orators . . . whose resistless eloquence Wielded at will that fierce democraty. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Her newborn power was wielded from the first by unprincipled and ambitions men. --De Quincey. [1913 Webster]

3. To use with full command or power, as a thing not too heavy for the holder; to manage; to handle; hence, to use or employ; as, to wield a sword; to wield the scepter. [1913 Webster]

Base Hungarian wight! wilt thou the spigot wield! --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming steed. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Nothing but the influence of a civilized power could induce a savage to wield a spade. --S. S. Smith. [1913 Webster]

{To wield the scepter}, to govern with supreme command. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • wield´er — wield «weeld», transitive verb. 1. a) to hold and use; manage; control: »to wield a hammer. A writer wields the pen. The people wield the power in a democracy. 2. Obsolete. to govern; command. ╂[Middle English …   Useful english dictionary

  • wield|y — «WEEL dee», adjective, wield|i|er, wield|i|est. easily controlled or handled; manageable. ╂[< wield + y1; later …   Useful english dictionary

  • Wield — is a parish in Hampshire, England. The parish contains the villages of Upper and Lower Wield …   Wikipedia

  • wield — [wi:ld] v [T] [: Old English; Origin: wieldan] 1.) wield power/influence/authority etc to have a lot of power or influence, and to use it ▪ The Church wields immense power in Ireland. 2.) to hold a weapon or tool that you are going to use ▪ She… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • wield — [ wild ] verb transitive 1. ) to hold a weapon or tool and use it: According to witnesses, Ellis entered the bank wielding a shotgun. 2. ) to have and be able to use power or influence: Multinational companies wield enormous financial and… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • wield — (v.) O.E. weldan (Mercian), wieldan, wealdan (W.Saxon) to govern, possess, have control over (class VII strong verb; past tense weold, pp. gewealden), merged with weak verb wyldan, both from P.Gmc. *wal t (Cf. O.S., Goth. waldan, O.Fris. walda to …   Etymology dictionary

  • wield — I verb avail oneself of, brandish, carry, command, control, direct, employ, exercise, exert, govern, handle, make use of, manage, manipulate, operate, ply, rule, sway, swing, tractare, use, utilize, work II index brandish, employ (make use of) …   Law dictionary

  • wield — swing, *handle, manipulate, ply Analogous words: *swing, flourish, brandish, shake, wave: control, direct, manage, *conduct: exercise, drill, *practice …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • wield — [v] control, use apply, brandish, command, conduct, employ, exercise, exert, flourish, handle, have, have at one’s disposal, hold, maintain, make use of, manage, maneuver, manipulate, operate, ply, possess, put to use, shake, swing, throw,… …   New thesaurus

  • wield — ► VERB 1) hold and use (a weapon or tool). 2) have and be able to use (power or influence). DERIVATIVES wielder noun. ORIGIN Old English, «govern, subdue, direct» …   English terms dictionary

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