英和和英

語源 1

From 中期英語 welden, from the merger of 古期英語 wealdan (“to control, rule”) (strong class 7) and 古期英語 wieldan (“to control, subdue”) (weak). Both verbs derive from Proto-West Germanic *waldan and *waldijan, respectively; and are ultimately from Proto-Germanic *waldaną (“to rule”).

The reason for the merger was that in 中期英語 the -d in the stem made it hard to distinguish between strong and weak forms in the past tense.

動詞

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

1. To handle with skill and ease, especially a weapon or tool.
2. To exercise (authority or influence) effectively.
   • 2025 August 27, Dana Suskind, “AI Engineers Need Their Own Hippocratic Oath. Here’s What It Should Say”, in TIME‎:

     The question isn't whether AI will reshape human society—it's whether its engineers will wield that power thoughtfully.

3. (obsolete) To command, rule over; to possess or own.
   • 1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum 7”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book V, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC:

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

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

     There was never a king other than myself who ever commanded such knights.
4. (obsolete) To control, to guide or manage.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

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

5. (obsolete) To carry out, to bring about.
   • a. 1513, Virgil, “VIII, prologue”, in Gawin Douglas [i.e., Gavin Douglas], transl., edited by [George Dundas], The Æneid of Virgil: Translated into Scottish Verse (Bannatyne Club, Publications; 64, no. 1), volume I, Edinburgh: T. Constable, printer, published 1839, →OCLC, page 448, line 1:

     All is weill done, God wate, weild he hys will.

派生語

• bewield
• wieldsome
• wieldy

語源 2

From 中期英語 welde, from 古期英語 *wield, ġewield (“power, control, dominion”), from Proto-West Germanic *waldi, from Proto-Germanic *waldiz (“power, might, control”).

別の表記

• welde, weild, weelde (obsolete)

名詞

wield (countable and uncountable, plural wields)

1. Rule, command; power, control, wielding.
   • 1872, George Francis Savage-Armstrong, The tragedy of Israel, volume 2, page 64:

     What boots it if I beat the heathen home,
     And fold the mountains in my wield, and fire […]

   • 1887, Richard Wagner, Siegfried:

     […] telling him of the treasures concealed in the cave, of the mysterious ring and tarnhelmet, possessing which he can hold the wield of the world.

   • 1968, John Allen, Masters of British Drama, page 32:

     All wealth in my wield is, I know by my wit […]

   • 2019, Lele Iturrioz, Summer:

     “Trust me, I will make them listen,” he hissed and for the first time, he used his wield fallaciously, because instead of giving life, he absorbed it from the tree.

参照

アナグラム

• dwile, Wilde, wilde, wiled