Bieldan

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Old English verb meaning to make someone bold, strengthen their courage, or encourage them to act fearlessly
2. An archaic verb for emboldening a person, giving them confidence and spirit so they dare to face difficulty
3. To inspire boldness in another, filling them with courage and resolve so they feel ready to act

Etymology: Old English speakers used "bieldan" to mean "to make bold," that is, to embolden, encourage, or hearten someone. It is built from the adjective "beald," meaning brave or bold, with a suffix that turns an adjective into a verb meaning "to cause to be" that quality, much as English "widen" means "to make wide." The adjective is the same root that gives Modern English "bold," so the verb is essentially "to bolden" someone's spirit. Because the verb is recorded only in Old English texts and did not survive into later English, it shows how the family of "bold" once included actions as well as qualities. The Old English adjective itself also had a sense of a building or dwelling, which is one of the more surprising turns in that family, though I would not press a direct link to this verb.