Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 1 bieldan, byldan, beldan, 2–5 belden, Orm. beoldenn, 3–5 beld(e, 5 bylde, beilde, beelde, beled, beyld, bild, 6 beald, 7–9 beal, 4– beild, bield. Pa. pple. beld, beild, bealed, bield. [Com. Teut.: OE. (Anglian) bęldan, (W.Sax.) bięldan, byldan = OS. beldjan, OHG. baldên, MHG. belden, Goth. balþjan ‘to make bold;’ f. OTeut. *balþ-oz BOLD. The sense-development in ME. was evidently influenced by that of the cognate sb. (see prec.), which it closely follows. In senses 1 and 2, ME. had another vb. of precisely the same meaning, bealden, balden, bolden:—OE. bealdian (see BOLD v.); but the latter never got the senses of ‘protect, shelter.’]
† 1. trans. To make bold, encourage; to confirm.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Past. Care, xviii. 128. Ne tyht nan man his hieremonna mod ne ne bielt [v.r. bilt] to gastlicum weorcum.
993. Byrhtnoð, 209. Swa hi bylde forð bearn Ælfrices.
c. 1200. Ormin, 2614. Wiþþ iwhillc mahht To beoldenn itt and strengenn. Ibid., 2745. Þurrh Godess millce beldedd.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 162. Ure Louerd sulf stont þer bi þe uihte, and beldeð [v.r. bealdeð] ham.
c. 1330. Lai Le Freine, 231. The abbesse her gan teche & beld.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, X. 4541. Of the Bisshop þo buernes beldid were þen.
† 2. intr. To grow bold or strong; to be bold, have confidence. Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 135. Long myght he not regne, ne on his lif belde.
a. 1400. St. Alexius (Laud), 29. As he bigon to Belde And was i-come to monnes elde.
a. 1500. MS. Harl., 1701, lf. 64 (Halliw.). Thys mayde wax and bygan to belde Weyl vnto womans elde.
3. trans. To defend, protect, shelter. Sc. and north. dial.
c. 1300. in Wright’s Lyric P., iv. 24. He shal him birewen that he hire belde.
c. 1400. Ywaine & Gaw., 1220. None es so wight wapins to welde, Ne that so boldly mai us belde.
c. 1440. York Myst., i. 35. I beelde þe here baynely in blys for to be. Ibid., 107. We þat ware beelded in blys, in bale are we nowe.
1470. Harding, Chron., cxl. vii. Kyng Philip cowardly with royall hoste hym beld.
1570. Levins, Manip., 208. To Beald, succour, adumbrare, protegere.
a. 1600[?]. Felon Saw of Rokeby. The fryar leaped … And bealed him with a tree.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xii. That … bielded me as if I had been a sister.
4. intr. (for refl.) To find refuge, protection or shelter; to shelter oneself; to lodge, dwell. (In this sense possibly confused with BUILD, q.v.)
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XIV. 5864. And bowet fro the batell … ffor to beld hym on þe bent, & his brethe take.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 8. Ewyre to belde and to byde in blysse with hyme selvene. Ibid., 1242. Thi baronage, that bieldez thare-in.
c. 1400. Melayne, 1496. Under the cante of a hille Ouro Bretons beldis & bydis stille.
c. 1440. York Myst., i. 61. All blys es here beeldande a-boute vs. Ibid., xxxii. 1. Pees, bewscheres, I bidde you, þat beldis here aboute me.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst. 135. Alas! Where may we beyld?
† 5. transf. To cover, cover over. (Only Sc.)
a. 1455. Holland, Houlat, xix. 9. Braid burdis & benkis, ourbeld with bancouris of gold.
c. 1495. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 164. Now sall the byle all out brist, that beild has bein so lang.
c. 1550. Sir J. Balfour, Practicks, 618. To see the ship tyit and beiled.
† 6. To sustain, nourish, feed. Obs.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, XI. 43. This land is purd off fud that suld ws beild.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. xi. 21. Fyfty damicellis … To graith the chalmeris, and the fyris beild.
