Old English edit

Etymology edit

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 edit

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

Verb edit

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 edit

Derived terms edit

Descendants edit