m. I. a shield, a piece of defensive armour: -- Scyld scutum vel clipeus vel parma, lytel scyld pelta . . . scyld clipeus, testudo, lytel scyld ancile, ða læssan scyldas peltae vel parmae, Wrt. Voc. i. 35, 27-28, 57-59. . Scyld cetra, ii. 20, 9: pelta, 68, 4. Sceld scutum, i. 289, 30: Ps. Th. 75, 3. Scyld sceal gebunden, leóht linden bord. Exon. Th. 339, 15 ; Gn. Ex. 94. Scyld sceal cempan, 341, 22; Gn. Ex. 130. Rand sceal on scylde, Menol. Fox 534; Gn. C. 37. Næfde hé scyld (scutum) æt handa, ðæt hé ðone cyning mid gescyldan mihte, Bd. 2, 9; S. 511, 22. Nán scyldwyrhta ne lecge nán scépes fell on scyld, L. Ath. i. 15 ; Th. i. 208, ii. Ðǽr læg secg mænig ofer scild scoten, Chr. 937; Erl. 112, 19. Dynedan scildas, Judth. Thw. 24, 24; Jud. 204. Scylda parmarum, Wrt. Voc. ii. 96, 30. Eorles heregeata . . . ehta spera and eall swá feala scylda, L. C. S. 72 ; Th. i. 414, 7. Hlyn wearð on wícum scylda and sceafta, Cd. Th. 124, 13; Gen. 2062. Síde scyldas, randas regnhearde, Beo. Th. 656; B. 325. II. fig. a shield, protection: -- Scild mín beo ðú refugium meum es tu, Ps. Spl. T. 70, 4. Ðam biþ Dryhten scyld, Exon. Th. 229, 31; Ph. 463. III. scyld in the following passage is used of a bird's back (as being shield-shaped ? or can scyld here be connected with sculdor ? cf. (?) shield-bone = shoulder-blade quoted by Halliwell. Icel. skjöldr is used of shield-shaped things) :-- Is se scyld ufan frætwum geféged ofer ðæs fugles bæc, 219, 17; Ph. 308. [Goth. skildus: O. Sax. skild : O. Frs. skeld: O. H. Ger. scilt: Icel. skjöldr.]