Obs. Forms: Inf. 1 *teld-ian, 2–3 teld-en, tild-en, 3–5 teld(e, tild, 5 tield. Pa. t. α. 1 teldede, -ode, 4–5 tilded(e, teildid. β. (3 tȝelt), 4 tilde, teilde, 4–5 teld, telt, tilld (tillede), tulde, tilte, 4–6 telde, 5–6 tild. Pa. pple. α. 1 *(ʓe)telded, 3 i-tælded, 3–4 i-telded, 4 telded, 4–5 -id, -it, 5 i-teldyde, 6 Sc. tyldit, -et. β. 4 y-telde, y-tielde, 4–5 ytelt (i-tilled), teld, -e, 4 teeld, -e, 5 y-teld, y-tilde, tild. [OE. teldian wk. vb., f. TELD sb.; = ON. tjalda. In ME. the d of the stem was often merged in that of the pa. t. and pa. pple. This brought the vb. into contact with TILL v., pa. t. tilde.]
1. trans. To ‘spread,’ set up, pitch (a tent); hence, to erect (a building of any kind), to build, raise. Also fig.
c. 725. Corpus Gloss. (O.E.T.), 591. Con[n]ectit, teldat.
c. 1205. Lay., 17489. Weoren a þan walde teldes itælded.
13[?]. K. Alis., 3434 (Bodl. MS.). Pauylouns were alle wiþinne Strongelich ytelt [Linc. Inn MS. y-tielde] by gynne. Ibid., 3464. Þe kyng þer telt [v.r. teildid] his pauylouns. Ibid., 5885. There biside his pauylouns, Weren y-telde by dales and dovnes.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 795. Towre telded bytwene trochet ful þik.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. II. 44. Ten þousend of Tentes I-tilled [v.rr. I-teldyde, teldit, teled] be-sydes.
1388. Wyclif, 2 Sam. xvi. 22. Therfor thei tildeden Absolon a tabernacle in the soler.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 11664. Here he tild vp a temple of a trew godde.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 1159. A hiȝe tilde as a toure teldid on schippis. Ibid., 2174 (Dubl. MS.). To tergarontes he tiȝt þar telde was a mynster.
c. 1460. Launfal, 263. A pavyloun yteld he sygh.
1515. Scot. Field, 38, in Chetham Misc. (1856), II. Beside the town of Tirwin, our tentes downe we telden.
2. intr. To pitch one’s tent; to encamp; to take one’s station or residence; in pa. pple. encamped, lodged, stationed.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1840. Iacob fro ðeðen wente, ic wot, tȝelt on a stede, and cald it sochot.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 12588. [On] þat playne … were þe Romayns telded. Ibid. (c. 1330), Chron. (1810), 242. Biside a more a mod quayntly was he teld.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XV. 150. Ryȝt as traianus, þe trewe knyght, tulde [v.rr. tillede, telde; B. XII. 210 tilde, tilte, dwelte] nat deep in helle.
a. 1400. Pistill of Susan, 56. Þeos perlous prestes … turned fro his teching, þat teeld [v.rr. teelde, told] is in trone.
c. 1440. York Myst., x. 14. Wher I was telde vnder a tree.
3. trans. Sc. To cover with an awning or curtain.
1501. Douglas, Pal. Hon., I. 432. Reparrellit was that god-like plesand wone Tyldit abone, and to the eirth adoun.
1825. Jamieson, s.v. Tyld, A window is said to be tyldit, when it is covered in the inside with a cloth or curtain.
4. To spread (a net), set (a trap or snare). (See also TILL v.)
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Thorpe), xxxiv. 8. Hi teldedon gryne and ða ʓehyddon.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 53. Þenne þe mon wule tilden his musestoch he bindeð uppon þa swike chese.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 211. At pleȝe [þe deuel] teldeð þe grune of idelnesse.
a. 1225. Ancr. R. (Corpus MS.: Camden 334). Triste is þer me sit mid te greahunz forte kepe þe heare, oðer tildeð [so Cleop., Caius; Titus tildes; Nero tillen; Vern. tilleþ] þe nettes aȝein him.
1413. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483), I. xviii. 14. Teldyng nettes, arrayng trappys and other engynes.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., IV. 164. A green another hath for hem ytilde.
Hence † Telding (tildunge) vbl. sb., laying of snares.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 278. Seint Antonie þet iseih al þene world ful of þes deofles tildunge.
