bield

• beeld, beild

From Middle English belde, beeld, beld, from Old English byldo, bieldo (“courage, boldness”), from Proto-Germanic *balþį̄ (“boldness”), from *balþaz (“bold”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhel- (“to inflate, swell”). Cognate with Old High German baldī (“boldness, courage”) (Middle High German belde), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐌸𐌴𐌹 (balþei, “boldness, courage”). More at bold.

bield (usually uncountable, plural bields)

1. (obsolete, dialectal) Boldness, courage; confidence; a feeling of security, assurance.
2. (obsolete, dialectal) Resource, help, relief; a means of help or relief; support; sustenance.
3. (obsolete, dialectal) Shelter, refuge or protection.
   • 1600, Edward Fairfax, The Jerusalem Delivered of Tasso, Book XVI, xlix:

     This breast, this bosom soft, shall be thy bield / 'Gainst storms of arrows, darts, and weapons thrown.

4. (obsolete, dialectal) A place of shelter, a refuge.

• bieldy

• bold

From Middle English beelden, belden, from Old English byldan, bieldan (“to encourage, embolden”), from Proto-Germanic *balþijaną (“to make bold”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to inflate, swell”). Cognate with Old Saxon beldjan (“to encourage”), Old High German baldēn (“to make bold”) (Middle High German belden), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽 (balþjan, “to make bold”).

bield (third-person singular simple present bields, present participle bielding, simple past and past participle bielded)

1. (transitive, obsolete, dialectal) To make bold, give courage or confidence to.
2. (transitive, obsolete, dialectal) To defend, protect or shelter.

• encourage

• Dible, beild, belid, biled