Obs. or arch. [f. prec. sb.]
1. intr. To bear a child; to be delivered.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 604. Time is come the lady schal childe: Scheo bad that God beo to hire mylde.
1340. Ayenb., 224. Þe wyfman lyþ a chi[l]dbedde oþer nyeȝ to childi.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour, 108. Whanne she hadde childed she thanked God.
1549. Latimer, Serm. bef. Edw. VI. (Arb.), 71. Within. ii. dayes they chylded both.
1808. Month. Mag., XXVI. 453. Jeremy Taylor … says: the Virgin Mary childed on her knees, that she might bring forth her maker in the act of adoring him.
2. trans. To bring forth, give birth to (a child).
c. 1200. Ormin, 156. Þe shall Elysabæþ þin wif an sune childenn.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 978. Sche childed a selcouthe grome.
1388. Wyclif, Ezek. xxiii. 4. Thei childiden sones and douȝtris.
1430–50. Gregory’s Chron., 80. In the town of Andeworpe, the quene chyldyd Sir Lyonelle.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. xii. 17. A litle mayde, the which ye chylded tho.
1611. Heywood, Gold. Age, IV. i. Wks. 1874, III. 56. The Queene shall childe a daughter beautifull.
3. fig. To bring out, bring forth.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel., xv. 26 a/2. An vnfallible reule hit is amonge the chyldren of vanitie, to chylde the vices of theym that be vycyous.
1628. Feltham, Resolves, II. xxxviii. 116. We childe that in a loose laughter, which should be graue.
