Obs. Forms: 1 wielde, wylde, 2–3 welde, 3 wilde. [OE. wielde, also ʓewielde, f. root of WIELD sb.] Strong, powerful, mighty.
c. 890. Wærferth, trans. Gregory’s Dial. IV. xxxvii. 320. Ac þæt is bedeohlod us … hweþer þa wyldre wære in Stephane & þone siʓor ahte.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., IV. i. 156. Hit næs þeaw on þæm tidum þæt mon æniʓ wæl on þa healfe rimde þe þonne wieldre wæs.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xvi. 336. Þæt se mann beo ʓeðyldiʓ,… and læte æfre his ʓewitt ʓewyldre þonne his yrre.
[c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 105. Weldre þene his wreððe.]
a. 1272. Luue Ron, 94, in O. E. Misc., 96. He is … freo of heorte, of wisdom wilde.
c. 1275. Lay., 3197. Þo we[n]de þe welde-king þat hit were for gyle.
