Geld (?), n. [AS. gild, gield, geld, tribute, payment, fr. gieldan to pay, render. See Yield.]
Money; tribute; compensation; ransom.
[Obs.]
⇒ This word occurs in old law books in composition, as in danegeld, or danegelt, a tax imposed by the Danes; weregeld, compensation for the life of a man, etc.
© Webster 1913.
Geld (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gelded or Gelt (); p. pr. & vb. n. Gelding.] [Icel. gelda to castrate; akin to Dan. gilde, Sw. galla, and cf. AS. gilte a young sow, OHG. galt dry, not giving milk, G. gelt, Goth. gilpa siclke.]
1.
To castrate; to emasculate.
2.
To deprive of anything essential.
Bereft and gelded of his patrimony.
Shak.
3.
To deprive of anything exceptionable; as, to geld a book, or a story; to expurgate.
[Obs.]
Dryden.
© Webster 1913.