helden

See also: Helden

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɦɛl.dən/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: hel‧den
• Rhymes: -ɛldən
• Homophone: Helden

Noun

helden

1. plural of held

Verb

helden

1. inflection of hellen:
   1. plural past indicative
   2. (dated or formal) plural past subjunctive

Anagrams

• helend, hendel

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *helden, from Proto-West Germanic *halþijan.

Verb

helden

1. to incline, to lean

Inflection

Conjugation of helden (weak)

infinitive	base form	helden
	genitive	heldens
	dative	heldene
		indicative			subjunctive
		present	past		present	past
1st person singular		helde	—		helde	—
2nd person singular		helts, heldes	—		helts, heldes	—
3rd person singular		helt, heldet	—		helde	—
1st person plural		helden	—		helden	—
2nd person plural		helt, heldet	—		helt, heldet	—
3rd person plural		helden	—		helden	—
		imperative
singular		helt, helde
plural		helt, heldet
		present	past
participle		heldende	—

Descendants

• Dutch: hellen
• Limburgish: hèlle

Further reading

• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “helden (II)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page II

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English hieldan, from Proto-West Germanic *halþijan, from Proto-Germanic *halþijaną.

Alternative forms

• hielden, heleden, hælden, healden, halden, hulden

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈheːldən/, /ˈhɛːldən/

Verb

helden

1. (transitive) to pour, to pour out (something)
2. (transitive) to shed, give forth, distribute out
3. (intransitive) to pour forth
   • a. 1450, The Creation and the Fall of Lucifer in The York Plays, as recorded c. 1463–1477 in British Museum MS. Additional 35290:

     My blyssyng o ble sall be blendyng, / And heldand fro harme to be hyndande,^{[sic – meaning hydande]} / My body in blys ay abydande / Vne[n]dande withoutyn any endyng.

     The blessing of my countenance will be a suffusing, / And, where it pours forth, will shield from harm, / My body forever abiding in bliss, / Unending without any ending.

4. (transitive) to bend (something), especially to bend or push down; to bow, to incline (something)
5. (intransitive or reflexive) to bow, to stoop, to lean, to incline oneself (+ on: to lean on)
6. (intransitive) to incline figuratively, to have an inclination or affection (+ to: to (doing something) or for (someone))
7. (intransitive) to yield, to give way
8. (intransitive with to or transitive) to submit to, to obey (a person, command, desire, etc.)
9. (intransitive) to fall, to go down
   • a. 1450, The Creation and the Fall of Lucifer in The York Plays, as recorded c. 1463–1477 in British Museum MS. Additional 35290:

     Fra heuen are we heledande on all hande, / To wo are we weendande, I warande.

     We are falling from heaven on all sides; / We are heading for woe, I warrant.

10. (intransitive, of ships) to sink
11. (intransitive, of the sun) to set
12. (intransitive, of terrain) to slope downward, to fall away
13. (intransitive) to decline, to deteriorate, to fade
14. (intransitive) to move, to go

Conjugation

Conjugation of helden (weak in -ed/-de)

infinitive	(to) helden, helde
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	helde	helded, helde
2nd-person singular	heldest	heldedest, heldest
3rd-person singular	heldeth	helded, helde
subjunctive singular	helde
imperative singular		—
plural1	helden, helde	heldeden, heldede, helden, helde
imperative plural	heldeth, helde	—
participles	heldynge, heldende	helded, held, yheld

¹ Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

• English: hield, heel
• Yola: hyle

References

• “hēlden, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 2

Noun

helden

1. plural of helde (“slope, hill”)

West Frisian

Noun

helden

1. plural of held