bield
English
editAlternative forms
editEtymology 1
editFrom Middle English belde, beeld, beld, from Old English bieldu (“courage, boldness”), from Proto-Germanic *balþį̄ (“boldness”), from *balþaz (“bold”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to inflate, swell”). Cognate with Old High German baldī (“boldness, courage”) (Middle High German belde), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐌸𐌴𐌹 (balþei, “boldness, courage”). More at bold.
Noun
editbield (usually uncountable, plural bields)
- (obsolete or dialectal) Boldness, courage; confidence; a feeling of security, assurance.
- (obsolete or dialectal) Resource, help, relief; a means of help or relief; support; sustenance.
- (obsolete or dialectal) Shelter, refuge or protection.
- 1600, Edward Fairfax, The Jerusalem Delivered of Tasso, Book XVI, xlix:
- This breast, this bosom soft, shall be thy bield / 'Gainst storms of arrows, darts, and weapons thrown.
- 1600, Edward Fairfax, The Jerusalem Delivered of Tasso, Book XVI, xlix:
- A place of shelter, a refuge.
Derived terms
editRelated terms
editEtymology 2
editFrom Middle English beelden, belden, from Old English byldan, bieldan (“to encourage, embolden”), from Proto-Germanic *balþijaną (“to make bold”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to inflate, swell”). Cognate with Old Saxon beldjan (“to encourage”), Old High German baldēn (“to make bold”) (Middle High German belden), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽 (balþjan, “to make bold”).
Verb
editbield (third-person singular simple present bields, present participle bielding, simple past and past participle bielded)
- (transitive, obsolete or dialectal) To make bold, give courage or confidence to.
- (transitive, obsolete or dialectal) To defend, protect or shelter.
Synonyms
editAnagrams
edit- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English dialectal terms
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰel- (blow)