Obs. Forms: α. 4 soud-, 4–6 sowd-; 4–5 sawd-. β. 5 sould-, 5–6 sold-. [ad. OF. souder, sauder, soulder, = Prov. soudar, soldar, Sp. and Pg. soldar, It. sodare:—L. solidāre to make solid or firm, f. solidus SOLID a.]
1. trans. To solder; to fasten with solder; to unite (metal) by soldering († or welding).
c. 1350. Leg. Rood (1871), 77. Dauid made A serkell al of siluer brade, And bad þat it suld sawded be All obout þe haly thre [= tree].
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. xciii. (Tollem. MS.). Leed may not be sone sowdid to leed noþer to bras, noþer to yren with oute tyn.
c. 1425. Seven Sages (P.), 2023. Than thay sayen at the laste How the piler stode in bras, And with sowdyng sowdyt faste.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt., 103. xxx arches of marble,… whyche ben soulded wyth leed and cyment.
1506. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., III. 330. Item, to … ane man that sowdit ane gwn of the Kingis schip, xiiij s.
2. transf. To unite firmly or closely; spec. in medical use (see SOLDER v. 2).
1388. Wyclif, Acts iii. 7. And anoon hise leggis and hise feet weren sowdid togidere; and he lippide, and stood.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VII. xxxi. (Bodl. MS.). The couȝe suffreþ not þe wounde to be closed and isawded.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, 45. She trowed … for to haue souded þe place of þe fynger in which þe bone … stode bifore.
1502. Arnolde, Chron. (1811), 170. Som men late the roete end of the vyne be vncutt … til it be sowded with the chiri tree.
b. intr. To close or heal. (Cf. SOLDER v. 6.)
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, 46. I putte-to vnguentum viride vpon stupes, and þe fynger bigan for to soude. Ibid., 84. Þe sidez of þe wounde byganne for to soude or conglutinate.
Hence † Solding vbl. sb.2 Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. xix. (Bodl. MS.). [Glue] haþ vertu of drawinge & sowding.
c. 1425. [see sense 1 above].
1447–8. Durh. Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 275. Pro … le sowdyng unius olle eree.
1508. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., IV. 137. Item, for solding … of the Kingis salt fat, ij s.
1533. Dunmow Churchw. MSS. fol. 17 b. To the makyng or sowdyng of the bell.
attrib. 1341–2. Ely Sacr. Rolls, II. 117. In factura … soudinghirnes pro fabricacione vitri.
1399. Fabric Rolls York Minster (Surtees), 18. Item ij soudyngirens et j helme ferri.
