Wielded

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

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