bield

English

Alternative forms

• beeld, beild

Etymology 1

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.

Noun

bield (usually uncountable, plural bields)

1. (obsolete) Boldness, courage; confidence; a feeling of security, assurance.
2. (obsolete) Resource, help, relief; a means of help or relief; support; sustenance.
3. (archaic in Scotland, Northern England, obsolete elsewhere) 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.

4. (archaic in Scotland, Northern England, obsolete elsewhere) A place of shelter, a refuge.

Derived terms

• bieldy

Related terms

• bold

Etymology 2

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”).

Verb

bield (third-person singular simple present bields, present participle bielding, simple past and past participle bielded)

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

Synonyms

• encourage

Anagrams

• Dible, Lebid, beild, belid, biled

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bi͜yld/, [bi͜yɫd]

Verb

bield

1. singular imperative of bieldan