wealdan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *waldan. Cognate with Old Saxon waldan, Old High German waltan (German walten), Old Norse valda (Swedish vålla), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌻𐌳𐌰𐌽 (waldan).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈwæ͜ɑl.dɑn/, [ˈwæ͜ɑɫ.dɑn]

Verb

wealdan

  1. to control (+ genitive, dative, or instrumental)
    • c. 973, Æthelwold's translation of the Rule of Saint Benedict
      Abbod þe þæs wierðe sīe þæt hē mynstres wealde, hē sċeal ā ġemunan hwæt hē ġecweden is and þæs ealdorsċipes naman mid dǣdum ġefyllan.
      An abbot who is qualified to run a monastery should always remember what he is called and live up to the name of superior by his actions.
  2. to wield (e.g. a sword) (+ genitive, dative, or instrumental)
  3. to rule (+ genitive, dative, or accusative)
    • c. 700 AD, Bēowulf, ll. 2389-90:
      lēt þone bregustōl Bēowulf healdan, / Ġēatum wealdan· þæt wæs gōd cyning.
      the throne he let Beowulf hold, / to rule the Geats; that was a good king.

Conjugation
Conjugation of wealdan (strong class 7)
infinitive wealdan wealdenne
indicative mood present tense past tense
first person singular wealde wēold
second person singular wielst, wieltst wēolde
third person singular wielt wēold
plural wealdaþ wēoldon
subjunctive present tense past tense
singular wealde wēolde
plural wealden wēolden
imperative
singular weald
plural wealdaþ
participle present past
wealdende (ġe)wealden

Derived terms

Descendants
  • Middle English: welden, weld, welde, weldon, wielde, wild, wilde, wold, wolde, wolden, weld, welde; weild, weilde, veild; weild, weilde, veild, wald, walde; walden, wælden; wald, walde, wealde, wealden, uelden
    • English: wield, English: wald
    • Scots: wield, Scots: wald
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