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. vålla to occasion, to
cause, Dan. volde, Goth. waldan to govern, rule, L.
valere to be strong. Cf. Herald, Valiant.]
1. To govern; to rule; to keep, or have in charge;
also, to possess. [Obs.]
When a strong armed man keepeth his house, all things that
he wieldeth ben in peace.
Wyclif (Luke xi.
21).
Wile [ne will] ye wield gold neither silver ne money
in your girdles.
Wyclif (Matt. x. 9.)
2. To direct or regulate by influence or authority;
to manage; to control; to sway.
The famous orators . . . whose resistless eloquence
Wielded at will that fierce democraty.
Milton.
Her newborn power was wielded from the first by
unprincipled and ambitions men.
De Quincey.
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.
Base Hungarian wight! wilt thou the spigot
wield!
Shak.
Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming
steed.
Milton.
Nothing but the influence of a civilized power could induce
a savage to wield a spade.
S. S. Smith.
To wield the scepter, to govern with supreme
command.
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. vålla to occasion, to
cause, Dan. volde, Goth. waldan to govern, rule, L.
valere to be strong. Cf. Herald, Valiant.]
1. To govern; to rule; to keep, or have in charge;
also, to possess. [Obs.]
When a strong armed man keepeth his house, all things that
he wieldeth ben in peace.
Wyclif (Luke xi.
21).
Wile [ne will] ye wield gold neither silver ne money
in your girdles.
Wyclif (Matt. x. 9.)
2. To direct or regulate by influence or authority;
to manage; to control; to sway.
The famous orators . . . whose resistless eloquence
Wielded at will that fierce democraty.
Milton.
Her newborn power was wielded from the first by
unprincipled and ambitions men.
De Quincey.
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.
Base Hungarian wight! wilt thou the spigot
wield!
Shak.
Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming
steed.
Milton.
Nothing but the influence of a civilized power could induce
a savage to wield a spade.
S. S. Smith.
To wield the scepter, to govern with supreme
command.
