▪ I. † wald, conj. Obs. rare.
[OE. weald, perh. derived from a use of weald imper. of wealdan to govern (see wield v.).
A transitional use is seen in weald h{uacu} = lóca h{uacu} ‘however’ (Andreas 1355): see look v. 4 b.]
Followed by or with ellipsis of if: In case that. (In OE. chiefly with þéah or indef. pronoun.)
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. I. 316 Namon ða to ræde, þæt him wærlicor wære, þæt hi sumne dæl heora landes wurðes æthæfdon, weald [? hwæt omitted] him ᵹetimode. Ibid. II. 340 Nyte ᵹe ða micclan deopnysse Godes ᵹerynu? weald þeah him beo alyfed ᵹyt behreowsung. c 1315 Shoreham Poems i. 930–1 To schryue hym wanne he seneȝed heþ Wel syker þing hyt were..Wald ȝef he sodeynlyche deiþ And wald he hyt forȝete. |
▪ II. wald
obs. f. weald, weld, wield v., wold.
▪ III. wald
obs. form of would: see will v.