%alda%

n. [ LL. baldachinus, baldechinus, a canopy of rich silk carried over the host; fr. Bagdad, It. Baldacco, a city in Turkish Asia from whence these rich silks came: cf. It. baldacchino. Cf. Baudekin. ] 1. A rich brocade; baudekin. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Arch.) A structure in form of a canopy, sometimes supported by columns, and sometimes suspended from the roof or projecting from the wall; generally placed over an altar; as, the baldachin in St. Peter's. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A portable canopy borne over shrines, etc., in procession. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Written also baldachino, baldaquin, etc. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. Bretwalda, br&unr_;ten walda, a powerful ruler. ] (Eng. Hist.) The official title applied to that one of the Anglo-Saxon chieftains who was chosen by the other chiefs to lead them in their warfare against the British tribes. Brande & C. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. Chaldaicus. ] Of or pertaining to Chaldea. -- n. The language or dialect of the Chaldeans; Chaldee. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An idiom or peculiarity in the Chaldee dialect. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. faldagium, fr. AS. fald, E. fold. Cf. Foldage. ] (O. Eng. Law) A privilege of setting up, and moving about, folds for sheep, in any fields within manors, in order to manure them; -- often reserved to himself by the lord of the manor. Spelman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) Any species of marine annelids of the genus Maldane, or family Maldanidae. They have a slender, round body, and make tubes in the sand or mud. [ 1913 Webster ]