Forms: see WIELD v.; 4 -ere, 5 -are, -ire 5–6 -ar, 5– -er. [f. WIELD v. + -ER1.] One who wields, in various senses.
† 1. A ruler, governor, master; sometimes applied to God; locally, a manager (?). Obs.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 129. Þe welder of wyt, þat wot alle þynges.
1382. Wyclif, Isa. i. 3. The oxe kneȝ his weldere, and the asse the cracche of his lord.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 1608. Þe lege Emperoure, Þe wildire [v.r. welder] of all þe werde.
1402. in Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 78. As that we were welders and lordes of alle.
1593. Q. Eliz., Boeth., I. met. v. 44. O weldar, apeace the Roring floudes.
1600. Breton, Melancholike Humours, Wks. (Grosart), I. 9/1. They, like the wielders of the world, command, and haue their will.
1723. Swift, Argts. Power Bps., Wks. 1841, II. 219/1. Such … tenants, generally speaking, have others under them, and so a third and fourth in subordination, till it comes to the welder (as they call him), who sits at a rack-rent.
1823–49. Lingard, Hist. Eng. (1855), I. ii. 52/1. The title … of Bretwalda, the wielder or sovereign of Britain.
† 2. The author or cause of something. Obs. rare.
1570. Satir. Poems Reform., xvii. 53. The veildars of yis greif.
3. One who uses or actuates skilfully: const. of (a weapon, instrument, etc.); also fig.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), III. 57. He is the free wielder of all the powers of a free … people.
1855. Brimley, Ess. Westw. Ho! (1858), 303. These are the high aims of fiction in the hands of its master wielders.
1862. R. W. Procter, Our Turf, Stage & Ring, 81. The rough-hewn wielders of the spade.
1866. Whittier, Snow-bound, 438. Brisk wielder of the birch and rule, The master of the district school.
1884. R. F. Burton, Bk. Sword, viii. 166. The Zanzibari’s Sword is … dangerous to the wielder.
1908. Spectator, 11 April, 564/2. Some able wielder of autocratic power.
