Dictionary

bield en · NOUN · etymology 1

Etymology

From 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.

Meanings

1. (obsolete, uncountable, usually) Boldness, courage; confidence; a feeling of security, assurance.
2. (obsolete, uncountable, usually) Resource, help, relief; a means of help or relief; support; sustenance.
3. (Northern-England, archaic, in Scotland, qualifier:obsolete elsewhere, uncountable, usually) Shelter, refuge or protection.
   • 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
4. (Northern-England, archaic, in Scotland, qualifier:obsolete elsewhere, uncountable, usually) A place of shelter, a refuge.

Forms

Deriveds

bieldy

Relateds

bold

bield en · VERB · etymology 2

Etymology

From 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”).

Meanings

1. (dialectal, obsolete, transitive) To make bold, give courage or confidence to.
2. (dialectal, obsolete, transitive) To defend, protect or shelter.

Forms

Synonyms

encourage