different between wield vs wieldy

English

Etymology

From Middle English welden, from Old English wieldan (“to control”), from Proto-Germanic *waldijan?.

Pronunciation

• enPR: w?ld, IPA^(key): /wi?ld/
• Rhymes: -i?ld
• Homophones: wealed, Weald, weald, wheeled (in accents with the wine-whine merger)

Verb

wield (third-person singular simple present wields, present participle wielding, simple past and past participle wielded)

1. (obsolete) To command, rule over; to possess or own.

   • There was never kyng sauff myselff that welded evir such knyghtes.

2. (obsolete) To control, to guide or manage.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, V.10:

     With such his chearefull speaches he doth wield / Her mind so well, that to his will she bends […].

3. To handle with skill and ease, especially a weapon or tool.
4. To exercise (authority or influence) effectively.

Derived terms

• bewield
• wieldsome
• wieldy

Translations

Anagrams

• Wilde, wiled

Saterland Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian wilde, from Proto-Germanic *wilþijaz. Cognate with English wild.

Adjective

wield

1. wild

Alternative forms

• wüüld

Scots

Etymology

From Old English wieldan (“to control”), a derivative of wealdan (“to govern”), from Proto-Germanic *waldan?. Cognate with German walten, Swedish vålla.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wi?ld/

Verb

wield

1. To control, to guide or manage.

English

Etymology

From Middle English w??ld?, weldy (“agile, vigorous; of a shield: easy or satisfying to wield”), from w??lden, welde (“to govern, preside over, reign, rule; to command, control, dominate; to dwell, reside; to accomplish, bring about; to overcome, prevail; to handle (a tool, weapon, etc.), use”), from Old English wylde (“controlling, dominant”), from Proto-Germanic *waldiz (“manageable; powerful”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h?welh?- (“to rule; powerful, strong”); analysable as wield +? -y. Later uses of sense 2 (“capable of being easily wielded”) are likely a back-formation from unwieldy.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?wi?ldi/, [?w??ld?]
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?wildi/
• Hyphenation: wiel?dy

Adjective

wieldy (comparative wieldier, superlative wieldiest)

1. (obsolete except Britain, dialectal) Able to wield one's body well; active, dexterous.

   Synonyms: agile, nimble, vigorous
2. Capable of being easily wielded or managed; handy.

   Synonyms: manageable, wieldsome

   Antonym: unwieldy

Derived terms

• wieldiness

Related terms

• unwieldy
• wield
• wielder
• wieldsome

Translations

References

Anagrams

• Wildey, dewily, widely