from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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 to occasion, to cause, Dan. volde, Goth. waldan
to govern, rule, L. valere to be strong. Cf. {Herald},
{Valiant}.]
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1. To govern; to rule; to keep, or have in charge; also, to
possess. [Obs.]
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When a strong armed man keepeth his house, all
things that he wieldeth ben in peace. --Wyclif (Luke
xi. 21).
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Wile [ne will] ye wield gold neither silver ne money
in your girdles. --Wyclif
(Matt. x. 9.)
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2. To direct or regulate by influence or authority; to
manage; to control; to sway.
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The famous orators . . . whose resistless eloquence
Wielded at will that fierce democraty. --Milton.
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Her newborn power was wielded from the first by
unprincipled and ambitions men. --De Quincey.
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3. To use with full command or power, as a thing not too
heavy for the holder; to manage; to handle; hence, to use
or employ; as, to wield a sword; to wield the scepter.
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Base Hungarian wight! wilt thou the spigot wield!
--Shak.
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Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming steed.
--Milton.
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Nothing but the influence of a civilized power could
induce a savage to wield a spade. --S. S. Smith.
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{To wield the scepter}, to govern with supreme command.
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