wield

wield
\ \ [OE] To wield something is etymologically to ‘command’ or ‘rule’ it. Indeed, that is what the word originally meant in English. ‘Handle, use’ is a secondary development. It goes back to a prehistoric base *wald-, which also produced German walten, Lithuanian valdyti, Czech vládnouti, and Polish władaćrule, govern’ and Russian vladet’possess, own’. And this in turn was probably an extension of Indo-European *wal-, source also of Latin valērebe strong’, from which English gets valid, value, etc.
\ \ Cf.VALID, VALUE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • wield´er — wield «weeld», transitive verb. 1. a) to hold and use; manage; control: »to wield a hammer. A writer wields the pen. The people wield the power in a democracy. 2. Obsolete. to govern; command. ╂[Middle English …   Useful english dictionary

  • wield|y — «WEEL dee», adjective, wield|i|er, wield|i|est. easily controlled or handled; manageable. ╂[< wield + y1; later …   Useful english dictionary

  • Wield — is a parish in Hampshire, England. The parish contains the villages of Upper and Lower Wield …   Wikipedia

  • wield — [wi:ld] v [T] [: Old English; Origin: wieldan] 1.) wield power/influence/authority etc to have a lot of power or influence, and to use it ▪ The Church wields immense power in Ireland. 2.) to hold a weapon or tool that you are going to use ▪ She… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • wield — [ wild ] verb transitive 1. ) to hold a weapon or tool and use it: According to witnesses, Ellis entered the bank wielding a shotgun. 2. ) to have and be able to use power or influence: Multinational companies wield enormous financial and… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • wield — (v.) O.E. weldan (Mercian), wieldan, wealdan (W.Saxon) to govern, possess, have control over (class VII strong verb; past tense weold, pp. gewealden), merged with weak verb wyldan, both from P.Gmc. *wal t (Cf. O.S., Goth. waldan, O.Fris. walda to …   Etymology dictionary

  • wield — I verb avail oneself of, brandish, carry, command, control, direct, employ, exercise, exert, govern, handle, make use of, manage, manipulate, operate, ply, rule, sway, swing, tractare, use, utilize, work II index brandish, employ (make use of) …   Law dictionary

  • wield — swing, *handle, manipulate, ply Analogous words: *swing, flourish, brandish, shake, wave: control, direct, manage, *conduct: exercise, drill, *practice …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • wield — [v] control, use apply, brandish, command, conduct, employ, exercise, exert, flourish, handle, have, have at one’s disposal, hold, maintain, make use of, manage, maneuver, manipulate, operate, ply, possess, put to use, shake, swing, throw,… …   New thesaurus

  • wield — ► VERB 1) hold and use (a weapon or tool). 2) have and be able to use (power or influence). DERIVATIVES wielder noun. ORIGIN Old English, «govern, subdue, direct» …   English terms dictionary

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