\Wield\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wielded}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Wielding}.] [OE. welden to govern, to have power over, to
possess, AS. geweldan, gewyldan, from wealdan; akin to OS.
waldan, OFries. walda, G. walten, OHG. waltan, Icel. valda,
Sw. v[*a]lla to occasion, to cause, Dan. volde, Goth. waldan
to govern, rule, L. valere to be strong. Cf. {Herald},
{Valiant}.]
1. To govern; to rule; to keep, or have in charge; also, to
   possess. [Obs.]
         When a strong armed man keepeth his house, all
         things that he wieldeth ben in peace. --Wyclif (Luke
                                               xi. 21).
         Wile [ne will] ye wield gold neither silver ne money
         in your girdles.                      --Wyclif
                                               (Matt. x. 9.)
2. To direct or regulate by influence or authority; to
   manage; to control; to sway.
         The famous orators . . . whose resistless eloquence
         Wielded at will that fierce democraty. --Milton.
         Her newborn power was wielded from the first by
         unprincipled and ambitions men.       --De Quincey.
3. To use with full command or power, as a thing not too
   heavy for the holder; to manage; to handle; hence, to use
   or employ; as, to wield a sword; to wield the scepter.
         Base Hungarian wight! wilt thou the spigot wield!
                                               --Shak.
         Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming steed.
                                               --Milton.
         Nothing but the influence of a civilized power could
         induce a savage to wield a spade.     --S. S. Smith.
{To wield the scepter}, to govern with supreme command.