▪ I. wielding, vbl. n.
(ˈwiːldɪŋ)
[f. wield v. + -ing1.]
The action of the verb wield, in various senses.
† 1. Government, power, command; possession, keeping: see wield v. B. 1, 2. Obs.
| c 1205 Lay. 19011 Þa hædden heo..Vðer þene king wið inne heore walding [c 1275 weldyng]. c 1325 Metr. Hom. 1 Al es loken in thi welding. Thou ert Lauerd..That al op⁓haldes. c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶644 Ye haue hem in youre myght and in youre weeldynge. c 1440 York Myst. i. 39 And haue al welth in ȝoure weledyng. c 1460 Play Sacram. 35 In þe dukedom of Oryon moche have I in weldyng. c 1485 Digby Myst. iii. 59 Thys castell..is at my wylddyng. |
2. Control, (power of) using, management, etc.: see wield v. B. 4, 5.
| a 1425 Cursor M. 13781 (Trin.) His lymmes had he so forgone Þat of hem weldyng had he none. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utopia ii. iv. (1895) 140 Their garmentes..[are] no let to the mouynge and weldynge of the bodie. 1581 A. Hall Iliad vii. 125 Areithous that bare the great and massie club, And..got such praise by force and weelding good. 1820 Lamb Elia Ser. i. South-sea House, He was..equal to the wielding of any of the most intricate accounts. 1836 Keble in Lyra Apost. (1849) 223 Behold your armoury!—sword and lightning shaft,..And in your wielding left! 1880 Tennyson Battle of Brunanburh xi, The wielding of weapons. |
▪ II. ˈwielding, ppl. a. (n.)
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
That wields; † ruling, governing; as n. a ruler, governor (see waldend); in quot. 1622, ? faring, ‘doing’ (well). (See also all-wielding.)
| a 900 Cynewulf Crist 1011 Mihtiᵹ god,..waldende god. c 1000 ælfric Hom. I. 328 Se Wealdenda Drihten. a 1300 Cursor M. 5206 Of egypti..Es he liuand and maister weldand. c 1485 Digby Myst. iii. 1832, I be-leve In þe father, þat is of all wyldyng. 1622 Wither Faire-Virtue B 2, A faire weilding-tree. |