note

(bý; bjó, bjoggum or bjuggum; búinn), v.

1) to prepare, make ready;

búa skip í för, to make a ship ready for a voyage;

búa ferð sína, to make ready for a journey (voyage);

búa veizlu, to prepare (make preparations) for a feast;

búa mál á hendr e-m, to take out a summons against one, be in a lawsuit;

2) to dress, attire, adorn, ornament;

bjó hón hana sem hón kunni bezt, she dressed her as well as she could;

sá þeir konur vel búnar, well dressed;

búa beð, rekkju, to make a bed;

búa öndvegi, hús, to make a high seat, adorn a house (for a feast);

öll umgjörðin var búin gulli ok silfri, adorned (mounted) with gold and silver;

vápn búit mjök, much ornamented;

3) to fix one’s abode in a place, = byggja( þegar munu jötnar Ásgarð búa);

4) to deal with, to treat;

þeir bjuggu búi sem þeim líkaði, they treated it as they liked, viz. recklessly;

Haraldr bjó heldr úsparliga kornum Sveins, used S.’s stores rather unsparingly;

5) to live, dwell (búa í tjöldum);

þeir bjuggu þar um nóttina, they stayed there during the night;

sá maðr bjó á skipi (had his berth) næst Haraldi;

6) to have a household (cattle, sheep, and milk);

meðan þú vilt búa, as long as thou will keep house;

búa á or at, with the name of the place added in dat., to live at or in (hann bjó á Velli; Gunnar bjó at Hlíðarenda);

7) to be, = vera( skip þau öll, er á vatni búa);

búa í skapi, brjósti e-m, to be, dwell in one’s mind (eigi býr þér lítit í skapi);

sýnandi þá hjartaliga gleði, er í brjósti býr, that fills the breast;

8) to behave, conduct onself (bjuggu þeir þar fremr úfriðliga);

9) with preps.:

búa af e-u, to lose;

láta e-n af baugum búa, to let him be deprived of his riches;

búa at e-u, to treat, = búa e-u (cf. 4);

þeir höfðu spurt hvern veg Þórólfr hafði búit at herbergjum þeirra, how Th. had treated their premises;

búa e-t fyrir, to prepare (þeir hlutir, er guð hefir fyrir búit sínum ástvinum);

búa fyrir, to be present (hann ætlar, at Selþórir muni fyrir búa í hverju holti);

búa hjá konu, to lie with a woman;

búa í e-u, to be at the bottom of, = búa undir e-u (en í þessu vináttumerki bjuggu enn fleiri hlutir);

búa með e-m or e-rri, to cohabit with;

búa með konu, to lie with;

búa saman, to live together (as husband and wife, as friends); to have a common household (ef menn búa saman);

búa e-t til, to prepare, take the preparatory steps in a case (búa sök, mál, vígsmál til, cf. 1);

búa til veizlu, to prepare for a feast;

búa til seyðis, to get the fire ready for cooking;

búa til vetrsetu, to make preparations for a winter abode;

búa um e-n, to make one’s bed (var búit um þá Þórodd á seti ok lögðust þeir til svefns);

Þórólfr lét setja upp skip sitt ok um búa, he had his ship laid up and fenced round;

kváðu nú Guðrúnu eiga at búa um rauða skör Bolla, said that G. would have to dress B.’s (her husband’s) bloody head;

búa um andvirki, to fence and thatch hayricks;

at búa svá um, at aldri mátti vökna, to pack it up so that it could not get wet;

búa svá um, at (with subj.), to arrange it so, that;

búa eigi um heilt við e-n, to be plotting something against one;

búa um nökkurn skoll, to brood over some mischief (deceit);

búa um grun, to be suspicious;

búa um hverfan hug, to be fickleminded;

gott er um öruggt at búa, to be in a safe position;

búa undir e-u, to be subject to, suffer, endure (hart mun þykkja undir at búa);

eiga undir slíkum ofsa at búa, to have to put up with such insolence; to be the (hidden) reason of, to be at the bottom of (þat bjó þar undir, at hann vildi taka ríkit undir sik);

þér vitið gørst, hvat yðr býr undir (what reason you have) at girnast eina útlenda mey;

búa e-n veg við e-n, to behave or act so and so towards one;

sárt býr þú nú við mik, Þóra, thou treatest me sorely;

búa við e-t, to enjoy (þú býr við eilífa ást ok bíðr eilífra ömbuna); to submit to, put up with;

ok mun eigi við þat mega búa, it will be too hard to bide;

búa yfir e-u, to hide, conceal;

framhlutr ormsins býr yfir eitri, is venomous;

lítill búkr býr yfir miklu viti, little body holds mickle wit;

búa yfir brögðum, flærð ok vélum, to brood over tricks, falsehood, and deceit;

10) refl., búast.

* * *

pret. sing. bjó, 2nd pers. bjótt, mod. bjóst; plur. bjoggu, bjöggu, and mod. bjuggu, or even buggu; sup. búit, búið, and (rarely) contr. búð; part. búinn; pret. subj. bjöggi, mod. byggi or bjyggi; pres. sing. indic. bý; pl. búm, mod. búum: reflex. forms býsk or býst, bjósk or bjóst, bjöggusk, búisk, etc.: poët. forms with suffixed negative bjó-at, Skv. 3. 39: an obsolete pret. bjoggi = bjó, Fms. ix. 440 (in a verse); bjöggisk = bjósk, Hom. 118. [Búa is originally a reduplicated and contracted verb answering to Goth. búan, of which the pret. may have been baibau: by bûan Ulf. renders Gr. οικειν, κατοικειν; Hel. bûan = habitare; Germ. bauen; Swed. and Dan. bo. The Icel. distinguishes between the strong neut. and originally redupl. verb búa, and the transit. and weak byggja, q. v.: búa seems to be kindred to Gr. φύω, εφυσα (cp. Sansk. bhû, bhavâmi, Lat. fui); byggja to Lat. făcio, cp. Swed.-Dan. bygga, Scot. and North. E. to ‘big,’ i. e. to build; cp. Lat. aedificare, nidificare: again, the coincidence in sense with the Gr. οικος, οικειν, Lat. vicus, is no less striking, cp. the references s. v. bú above. Búa, as a root word, is one of the most interesting words in the Scandin. tongues; bú, bær, bygg, bygð, byggja, etc., all belong to this family: it survives in the North. E. word to ‘big,’ in the Germ. bauen ( to till), and possibly (v. above) in the auxiliary verb ‘to be.’]

A. NEUTER, to live, abide, dwell, = Gr. οικειν, Lat. habitare; sú synd sem í mér býr, Rom. vii. 17, 20; í mér, þat er í mínu holdi, býr ekki gott, 18; hann sem býr í ljósinu, 1 Tim. vi. 16; fyrir Heilagan Anda sem í oss býr, 2 Tim. i. 14; Látið Christs orð ríkulega búa meðal yðar, Col. iii. 16; þá trú … sem áðr fyr bjó í þinni ömmu Loide, 2 Tim. i. 5; þat hit góða sem í oss býr, 14; hann sem býr í ljósinu, þar einginn kann til að komast, 1 Tim. vi. 16; hence íbúð, living in, etc.; in many of those passages some Edd. of N. T. use byggja, but búa suits better: of a temporary abode, hann bjó í tjöldum, he abode in tents, Fms. x. 413.

2. a naut. term; þeir bjuggu þar um nóttina, they stayed, cast anchor during the night, Fms. vii. 3: on board ship, to have one’s berth, sá maðr bjó á skipi næst Haraldi er hét Loðinn, 166; engi maðr skyldi búa á þessu skipi yngri en tvítugr, x. 321.

3. to live together as man and wife; henni hagar að b. við hann, 1 Cor. vii. 12; hagar honum hjá henni að b., 13; b. með húsfrú sinni, Stj. 47; b. við; Helgi prestr bjó við konu þá, er Þórdís hét (of concubinage), Sturl. i. 141; but búa saman, of wedded life, K. Á. 134.

4. b. fyrir, to be present in the place: at Selþórir muni fyrir b. í hverju holti, Fms. iv. 260: recipr., sjór ok skúgr bjoggusk í grend, Skálda 202, Baruch.

5. esp. (v. bú) to have a household, cattle, sheep, and milk; hence búandi, bóndi, bær, and bú; búa við málnytu ( milk), ok hafa kýr ok ær at búi, Nj. 236, Grág. i. 168, 335; b. búi (dat.), 153, K. Þ. K. 90; búa búi sínu, to ‘big ane’s ain biggin,’ have one’s own homestead.

β. absol., meðan þú vilt b., so long as thou wilt keep bouse, Hrafn. 9; b. vel, illa, to be a good (bad) housekeeper; vænt er að kunna vel að búa, Bb. 3. 1; Salomon kóngur kunni að b., 100; fara að b., to begin housekeeping, 2. 6; b. á jörðu, to keep a farm, gefa þeim óðul sín er á bjoggu, Fms. i. 21.

γ. búa á …, at …, i …, with the name of the place added, to live at or in a place; hann bjó á Velli (the farm) á Rangárvöllum (the county), Nj. 1; Höskuldr bjó á Höskuldstöðum, 2: hann bjó at Varmalæk, 22; hann bjó undir Felli, 16; Gunnarr bjó at Hlíðarenda, 29; Njáll bjó at Bergþórshváli, 30, 38, 147, 162, 164, 173, 174, 213, Landn. 39–41, and in numberless passages; Eb., Ld., Eg., Sturl., Bs., Ísl. ii, etc. (very freq.): also b. í brjósti, skapi, huga e-m, to be, dwell in one’s mind, with the notion of rooted conviction or determination, þess hins mikla áhuga, er þér býr í brjósti, Fms. iv. 80; því er mér hefir lengi í skapi búit, 78; ekki muntu leynask fyrir mér, veit ek hvat í býr skapinu, Lv. 16.

II. metaph. and with prepp.; b. um e-t, or b. yfir e-u, almost in an uncanny sense, to brood over hidden schemes, designs, resentment, or the like; búa um hverfan hug, to be of a fickle mind, Skv. 3. 39; b. eigi um heilt, to brood over something against one, to be insincere, Fms. xi. 365; b. um skoll, to brood over some deceit, id.; b. um grun, to be suspicious, ii. 87: in good sense, b. um eitt lunderni, to be of one mind, Jb. 17; b. um þrek, hug, to have a bold heart, Lex. Poët.: b. í or undir e-u, to be at the bottom of a thing; en í þessu vináttu merki bjoggu enn fleiri hlutir, Ó. H. 125; mart býr í þokunni (a proverb), many things bide in the mist; en þat b. mest undir ferð Áka, at …, Fms. xi. 45; þóttusk eigi vita hvat undir myndi b., Nj. 62: b. yfir e-u, to brood over something, conceal; (ormrinn) bjó yfir eitri, i. e. the snake was venomous, Fms. vi. 351: the saying, lítill búkr býr yfir miklu viti, little bulk hides mickle wit, Al.; b. yfir flærð ok vélum, to brood over falsehood and deceit, id.; b. yfir brögðum, Fas. i. 290: b. undir, við e-t, to live under or with a thing, to bide, put up with; eiga undir slíkum ofsa at b., to have to put up with such insolence, Fms. xi. 248; at hart mun þykkja undir at b., Nj. 90, 101; ok mun eigi við þat mega b., i. e. it will be too hard to bide, 164; því at bændr máttu eigi við hitt b., Fms. xi. 224.

III. in a half active sense; b. at e-u, or b. e-u (with dat.), to treat; þeir höfðu spurt hvern veg Þórólfr hafði búit at herbergjum þeirra, how Th. had used their premises, Eg. 85; þeir bjoggu búi sem þeim líkaði (where with dat.), i. e. they treated it recklessly, Bs. i. 544; Haraldr jarl fór til bús Sveins, ok bjó þá heldr úspakliga kornum hans, Orkn. 424 (in all passages in bad sense): búa vel saman, to live well together, be friendly, Fms. xi. 312; hence sam-búð, living together; b. við e-n, to treat one so and so; sárt býr þú við mik, Þóra, thou treatest me sorely, vii. 203.

B. ACTIVE, to make ready: the sense and form here reminds one of the Gr. ποιειν: [this sense is much used in Old Engl., esp. the part. bone, boon, or boun, ready, (‘boun to go,’ Chaucer, etc.); in later Engl. ‘boun’ was corrupted into ‘bound,’ in such naut. phrases as bound for a port, etc.: from this part, the ballad writers formed a fresh verb, to boun, ‘busk ye, boun ye;’ ‘busk’ is a remnant of the old reflex, búask, see Dasent, Burnt Njal, pref. xvi. note, and cp. below III.]

I. to make ready, ‘boun,’ for a journey; b. ferð, för sína; and as a naut. term, b. skip, to make ready for sea; bjoggu þeir ferð sína, Fms. ix. 453; en er þeir vóru búnir, Nj. 122; ok vóru þá mjök brott búnir, they were ‘boun’ for sea, Fms. vii. 101; bjó hann skip sitt, Nj. 128; en skip er brotið, svá at eigi er í för búanda á því sumri, i. e. ship unfit to go to sea, Grág. i. 92; b. sik til göngu, to be ‘boun’ for a walk, Ld. 46; b. sik at keyra, to make one ready for …, Nj. 91.

β. as a law term, b. sök, mál, or adding til, b. til sök, mál á hendr e-m, to take out a summons against one, begin a lawsuit; b. mál í dóm, of the preliminaries to a lawsuit, hence málatilbúningr, in numberless cases in the Grágás and Sagas.

γ. generally to prepare, make; b. smyrsl, to make ointments, Rb. 82.

2. = Old Engl. to boun, i. e. to dress, equip; b. sik, to dress; svá búinn, so dressed, Fms. xi. 272; hence búningr, dress (freq.); vel búinn, well-dressed, Nj. 3, Ísl. ii. 434; spari-búinn, in holiday dress; illa búinn, ill-dressed; síðan bjó hon hana sem hon kunni, she dressed her as well as she could, Finnb. 258; b. beð, rekkjur, to make a bed, Eg. 236; b. upp hvílur, id., Nj. 168; b. öndvegi, hús, to make a high seat, dress a house for a feast, 175, (hús-búnaðr, hús-búningr, tapestry); búa borð, to dress the table, (borð búnaðr, table-service); b. stofu, Fms. iv. 75.

β. búa til veizlu, to make ‘boun’ ( prepare) for a feast, Eg. 38, Fms. vii. 307; b. til seyðis, to make the fire ‘boun’ for cooking, Nj. 199; b. til vetrsetu, to make ‘boun’ for a winter abode, Fms. x. 42; til-búa, and fyrir-b., to prepare; eg fer héðan að til-b. yðr stað, John xiv. 3; eignizt það ríki sem yðr var til-búið frá upphafi veraldar, Matth. xxv. 34.

γ. b. um e-t, in mod. use with the notion of packing up, to make into a bundle, of parcels, letters, etc.; hence um-búningr and um-búðir, a packing, packing-cover; b. um rúm, hvílu, to make a bed; búa um e-n, to make one’s bed; var búið um þá Þórodd í seti, ok lögðusk þeir til svefns, Th.’s bed was made on the benches, and they went to sleep, Ó. H. 153; skaltú nú sjá hvar vit leggumk niðr, ok hversu ek bý um okkr (of the dying Njal), Nj. 701; er mér sagt at hann hafi illa um búit, of a dead body, 51; þeir höfðu (svá) um sik búit ( they had covered themselves so) at þá mátti eigi sjá, 261; kváðu nú Guðrúnu eiga at búa um rauða skör Bolla, said that G. would have to comb B.’s (her husband’s) bloody head, Ld. 244; búa svá um at aldri mátti vökna, pack it up so that it cannot get wet, Fms. vii. 225; Þórólfr lét setja upp skip ok um búa, he had the ship laid up and fenced it round (for the winter), Eg. 199; b. um andvirki, to fence and thatch bay-ricks, Grág. ii. 335: metaph. to manage, preserve a thing, Fms. ix. 52; aumlega búinn, in a piteous state, Hom. 115.

3. to ornament, esp. with metals or artificial work of any kind, of clothes laced with gold; kyrtill hlaðbúinn, Ísl. ii. 434, Nj. 48, Vm. 129: of gloves, B. K. 84: of a belt with stones or artificial work, Fms. xi. 271: of a drinking-horn, D. N. (Fr.); but esp. of a weapon, sword, or the like, enamelled with gold or silver (gull-búinn, silfr-búinn); búin gulli ok silfri, Fms. i. 15; búinn knífr, xi. 271; vápn búit mjök, much ornamented, ii. 255, iv. 77, 130, Eb. 226, 228.

β. part., búinn at e-u, or vel búinn, metaph. endowed with, well endowed; at flestum í þróttum vel búinn, Nj. 61, Fms. x. 295; at auð vel búinn, wealthy, 410; vel búinn at hreysti ok allri atgörvi, Eg. 82; bezt at viti búinn, Fms. xi. 51.

II. particular use of the part. pass, ‘boun,’ ready, willing; margir munu búnir at kaupa, ready, willing to buy, Fms. vi. 218; hann kvaðsk þess fyrir löngu búinn, Ld. 66, Fms. iii. 123; nefna vátta at þeir eru búnir ( ready) at leysa kvið þann af hendi, Grág. i. 54; vóru allir til þess búnir, Fms. xi. 360: compar., engir menn sýna sik búnari ( more willing) til liðveizlu, Sturl. i. 103: the allit. phrase, vera boðinn og búinn til e-s, vide bjóða VI: denoting fitted, adapted, ek em gamall, ok lítt b. at ( little fit to) hefna sona minna, Nj. 200; þótt ek sé verr til b. en hann fyrir vanheilsu sakir, Fms. vii. 275; eiga við búið (mod. vera við búinn), to keep oneself ready, to be on one’s guard, Bs. i. 537.

2. on the point of doing, about to do so and so; hann var búinn til falls, he was just about to tumble, Fms. x. 314; en áðr þeir kómu var búið til hins mesta váða, ix. 444, v. l.

β. neut. búið is used almost adverbially, on the point of, just about to; ok búið við skipbroti, Ísl. ii. 245; búið við váða miklum, Fms. ix. 310; sagði at þá var búit við geig mikinn með þeim feðgum, Eg. 158: this is rare and obsolete in mod. usage; and the Icel. now say, liggja við mér lá við að detta, where an old writer would have said, ek var búinn at detta; the sense would else be ambiguous, as búinn, vera búinn, in mod. usage means to have done; ég er búinn að eta, I have done eating; vera búinn að e-u (a work, business of any kind), to have done with it; also absol., eg er búinn, I have done; thus e. g. vera b. að kaupa, fyrir löngu b., b. at græða, leysa, etc., in mod. sense means to have done, done long ago; only by adding prepp. við, til (vera við búinn, til búinn) the part. resumes its old sense: on the other hand, búinn in the sense of having done hardly ever occurs in old writers.

γ. búð (búið) is even used adverbially = may be, may happen; with subj. with or without ‘at,’ búð, svá sé til ætlað, may be, it will come so to happen, Nj. 114; búð, dragi til þess sem vera vill, 185; búð, eigi fari fjarri því sem þú gazt til, id., Ed. Johns. 508, note c; búð, svá þykki sem ek grípa gulli við þá, 9, note 3; búð, eigi hendi hann slík úgipta annat sinn, 42; búð, ek láta annars víti at varnaði verða, 106; búð, vér þurfim enn hlífanna, Sturl. ii. 137 (vellum MSS.; um ríð, Ed., quite without sense), cp. also Eb. 27 new Ed.: in mod. usage it is freq. to say, það er búið, vel búið, albúið, etc., it is likely, most likely that …

δ. svá búit, adverbially, and proncd. as if one word, as matters stand, or even temp. at present, as yet; eigi mun hlýða svá búit, i. e. it will not do ‘so done,’ i. e. something else must be done, Eg. 507; eigi munu þér fá at unnit svá búið, i. e. not as yet, Fms. vii. 270; stendr þar nú svá búit (i. e. unchanged), um hríð, xi. 81; en berjask eigi svo búit, not fight as yet, Nj. 229; segja Eyjólfi til svá búins, they tell Eyolf the state of things, viz. that nothing had been done, Gísl. 41; þeir skildu við svá búit; þeir lögðu frá við svá búið, implying ‘vain effort,’ Germ. ‘unverrichteter Sache,’ Ísl. ii, Hkr. i. 340: at svá búnu, adverbially, as yet, at present; hann kvaðsk eigi fýsask til Íslands at svá búnu, Nj. 123, Fms. xi. 131; þenna draum segjum vér engum manni at svá búnu, this dream we will not tell to anybody as yet, Nj. 212; en at svá búnu tjár ekki, Fas. i. 364.

III. reflex. to ‘boun’ or ‘busk’ oneself, make oneself ready, equip oneself; gengu menn þá á skip sín, ok bjoggusk sem hvatligast, Fms. v. 15: adding the infinitive of a verb as predicate, bjósk hann at fara norðr til Þrandheims, Eg. 18; or ellipt., where búask thus denotes the act itself, nú býsk hann út til Íslands, i. e. he ‘busked’ him to go …, Nj. 10; bjoggusk þeir fóstbræðr í hernað, they went on a free-booting trip, Landn. 31; seg Agli at þeir búisk þaðan fimmtán, 94: or adding another verb denoting the act, in the same tense, bjósk Haraldr konungr úr Þrándheimi með skipaliði, ok fór suðr á Mæri, he ‘busked’ him … and went south, Eg. 7; the journey added in gen., búask ferðar sinnar, Fms. i. 3; búask menn ferða sinna, Ld. 177.

β. denoting intention, hidden or not put into action; fór sá kurr, at Skúli byggisk á land upp, Fms. ix. 483.

2. to prepare for a thing; búask við boði, veizlu, etc., Nj. 10, Korm. 10; b. (vel, kristilega) við dauða sínum, andláti sínu, (eccl.) to prepare for one’s death, Fs. 80, Bs. i. 74; búask við vetri, to provide for the winter, get store in, Fms. xi. 415; b. við úfriði, vii. 23.

β. to be on one’s guard, take steps to prevent a thing; nú ríða hér úvinir þínir at þér; skaltu svá við búask, i. e. be sure of that, make up thy mind, Nj. 264; bústu svá við, skal hann kveða, at …, Grág. ii. 244.

γ. such phrases as, búask um = búa um sik, to make one’s own bed, encamp, make oneself comfortable, Nj. 259; tjölduðu búðir ok bjöggusk vel um, 219; var hörð veðrátta, svá at ekki mátti úti um búask, Fms. x. 13. Ld. 348; in the last passage the verb is deponent.

3. metaph., b. við e-u, to expect, freq. in mod. usage; in phrases, það er ekki við að búast, it cannot be expected; búast við e-m, to expect a guest, or the like.

β. to intend, think about; eg býst við að koma, I hope to come; eg bjóst aldrei við því, I never hoped for that, it never entered my mind, and in numberless cases.

4. passive (very rare and not classical); um kveldit er matr bjósk = er m. var búinn, Fms. ix. 364.

n. verse or stanza of a song (ljóð þau, er kallat er gróttasöngr); a ditty, a charm in verse; usually pl., also in names of poems, as Hyndluljóð, Sólarljóð.

* * *

n., esp. in pl.; the spelling with h in Hyndlu-hliod, Fb. i. 11, and hljoðum, Fs. 94, note 4, is wrong and due to some transcriber who confounded it with hljóð (q. v.), which is a different root word, cp. the alliteration on l in Hm. 163, 164; [Ulf. liuþ in awi-liuþ and liuþon; A. S. leôð; Old Engl. lud; O. H. G. liôd; Germ. lied]:—a lay, song:

I. sing. a ditty; eigi lengr en gaukrinn þagði, eðr ljóð mátti kveða, Edda 79, cp. Ed. Arna-Magn. i. 376. note 14; eða lengr en svá ljóð eitt kveðak, Gs. 7; þá kvað þursinn af bjargi annat ljóð, Fas. ii. 29; ok þá varð henni ljóð á munni, 507; varð henni þá ljóð á munni, Fb. i. 525.

II. plur. songs, lays; in Hm. it is used of charms or spells, as also in Yngl. S. ch. 7—hann kunni þau ljóð, at upp lauksk fyrir honum jörðin ok björg ok steinar; allar þessar íþróttir kenndi hann með rúnum ok ljóðum, id.; hann ok hofgoðar hans heita ljóða-smiðir (‘lay-smith’) þvíat sú íþrótt (i. e. poetry) hófsk með þeim á Norðrlöndum, Yngl. S. ch. 6; so also, fullr er hann ljóða ok líkn-stafa, full of charms, and healing staves, Sdm. 5; ljóð ek þau kann, Hm. 147, 163, 164: the saving, fram koma ljóð þau löngu vóru sungin, Bs. i. 766: in names of poems, Hyndlu-ljóð, Harbarðs-ljóð, Sæm. 97 (Bugge note); Sólar-ljóð: used of the lays in the Strengleikar, called Ljóða-bók, f. a book of lays, Str. 1: ljóða-háttr, m. a kind of metre, such as the Hávamál; the inscription to Edda (Ht.) 100 is by Rask; but ljóðs-háttr occurs at the beginning of the Háttatal of earl Rögnvald: ljóða-tól, n. pl. instruments. Str. 37.

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(-ta, -tr), v.

1) to mark (m. eyra á fé);

2) to mark, draw (hann var merktr eptir Þór, ok hefir hann hamar í hendi); ok m. á nagli nauð, and mark (the character) nauð on one’s nail;

3) to mark, note, observe (síðan merkti hann þúfu þá, er griðkonan þerði á fœtr sína);

4) to notice, perceive (merktu þeir at sólargangi, at sumarit munaði aptr til vársins);

5) to show, indicate (merkti Sunnifa þat í þessu);

6) to denote, signify, mean (vil ek, at þú segir drauminn ok hvat hann merkir).

* * *

ð, [mark], to mark, as a landmark, boundary; merkja um, to mark round, enclose, Stj. 409.

II. to draw, of an image; hann var merkðr eptir Þór ok hefir hann hamar í hendi, Ó. H. 108: of letters, ok merkja á nagli Nauð, and mark (the character) Naud on one’s nail, Sdm. 7; blóðgar rúnir merkðar á brjósti, Sól. 6l; ok merkja ena löngu með stryki frá enum skömmu, Skálda 163.

2. to mark, sign, note; hverr maðr skal m. hlut sinn, Grág. i. 37; vér skulum m. lið várt allt, gera herkuml á hjálmum várum ok skjöldum, Ó. H. 204: of sheep, merkja lamb (of the ears), Grág. i. 415; nú merkir hann þat annars manns marki, id.; þat er lögmark er eyru eru merkt á öllu fé, nautum, sauðum svínum, ok geitum, nema á fuglum, þar skal fitjar merkja, 416; dilkr ómerkðr, 417.

3. to mark, note, observe; síðan merkði ( marked) hann þúfu þá er griðkonan þerði fætr sína á, Fms. i. 254; þú merkðu þeir at sólargangi ( observed) at sumarit munaði aptr til vársins, Íb. 7: ok hér er þó maðr, ok merki ek at því ( I infer it from the fact that) er hann kvíddi dauða, Niðrst. 1; þat er merkjanda, Hom. 65, H. E. i. 513.

III. metaph. to mark; sumir eru tungulausir ok merkja ( beckon) allt af bendingu, Rb. 398; nú skal í þessu m. at hverr maðr er skyldr at sæma ok tigna konungligt nafn, Sks. 488; má þat at því merkja nökkut, Bs. i. 62:—to shew, merkði Sunnifa þat í þessu at hón treysti meirr almætti Guðs en veraldligum farar-beina, Fms. i. 226; þeir merkt hafa … at hug hafa, Hkv. 2. 22.

2. to mark, denote, signify; þat merkir lærdóm þinn, Bs. i. 8, Anal. 177; maðr merkir kvikendi skynsamligt ok dauðligt, Skálda 174.

(að), v. to wait;

biða e-s, to wait for (þeir biðuðu þeirra).

f. awaiting (rare).

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að, to bide a bit, Stj. 298, Bs. ii. 123: with gen. (= bíða), ok biðuðu þeirra, Fagrsk. 138, Nj. (Lat.) 110 note k, 135 note o.

u, f. a big chest; the phrase, þylja e-ð í belg eða biðu, Bs. ii. 425.

m. (and n.), God.

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m.; the plur. used to render the Lat. dii is guðir; [for etymology and changes of this word see p. 207]:—God.

A. Though the primitive form Goð rhymes with boð ( bidding), stoð ( help), and many other words, the second form Guð rhymes with no single word, so that in hymns the poets are wont to use incomplete rhymes, as brauð ( bread), nauð ( need); and exact rhymes can only be obtained by the last syllables of derivatives, e. g. Iðranin blíðkar aptur Guð | ei verður syndin tilreiknuð, Pass. 40. 4; or Upphaf alls mesta ófögn uðs | áklögun ströng og reiði Guðs, 3. 14; Svo er nú syndin innsigluð | iðrandi sála kvitt við Guð, 50. 14; but these rhyme-syllables can only occur in trisyllabic words (Gramm. p. xv):—the following are examples of incomplete rhymes, Vinir þér enga veittu stoð | svo vinskap fengi eg við sannan Guð, Pass. 3. 7; Föðurlegt hjarta hefir Guð | við hvern sem líðr kross og nauð, 3. 16; Herra minn þú varst hulinn Guð | þá hæðni leiðst og krossins nauð, 40. 16; as also in the hymn, Til þín Heilagi Herra Guð | hef eg lypt sálu minni | af hug og hjarta í hverri neyð | hjástoð treystandi þinni, Hólabók 108, rendering of Ps. xxv; Luther’s hymn, Ein feste burg ist unser Gott, is in the Icel. rendering, Óvinnanlig borg er vor Guð | ágæta skjöldr og verja | hann frelsar oss af allri nauð, Hólabók 182; Fyrir valtan veraldar auð | set þína trú á sannan Guð | sem allt skapaði fyrir sitt boð, 208 (in Hans Sachs’ hymn); hugsjúkir eta harma brauð | hollari fæðu gefr Guð | sér ljúfum þá þeir sofa, 124, Ps. cxxvii. 2.

B. PHRASES:—Guðs ást, Guðs elska, the love of God; Guðs gata, the way of God, 625. 87; Guðs gæðska, Guðs náð, the grace, goodness of God; Guðs miskunn, Guðs mildi, the mercy of God; Guðs ótti, the fear of God; Guðs gjöf, God’s gift; Guði friðr, the peace of God; Guðs hús, the house of God; Guðs musteri, the temple of God; Guðs orð, the word of God; and in popular usage, Guðsorða-bók, ‘God’s word-book,’ i. e. a religious book, not only of the Bible, but generally of hymns, sermons, etc., opp. to historical or secular books, sögu-bækr; Guðs maðr, a man of God, Stj. passim; Guðs ríki, the kingdom of God; Guðs Kristni, the Church of God, 625. 82; Guðs vin, God’s friend, Fms. i. 139; Guðs þjónn, God’s servant; Guðs þræll, the thrall of God, Greg. 54, Bs. i. 638; Guðs Sonr, the Son of God; Guðs trú, faith in God; Guðs þjónusta, Divine service (in Papal times the mass), K. Á. 36; of the sacrament, Bs. i. 638; Guðs akr, Germ. Gottes acker, ‘God’s acre,’ a churchyard; Guðs kista, God’s chest, the temple-treasury, Mark xii. 41; Guðs líkami = Corpus Domini, K. Á. 38; Guðs móðir, God’s mother (the Virgin Mary):—in Papal times, Guðs eign, God’s property = church glebes; Guðs lög, God’s law, i. e. the ecclesiastical law, as opp. to lands lög, the law of the land, i. e. the secular or civil law, K. Á. ch. 9, (for an interesting note upon this subject vide H. E. i. 133, note b); Guðs réttr, God’s right, i. e. ecclesiastical right, Fms. vii. 305; Guðs þakkir, ‘God’s thanks,’ charity, Grág. i. 222, K. Þ. K. 142, Hom. 34; whence the popular contracted form gustuk, a charity, pittance, in such phrases as, það er ekki gustuk, ‘tis no charity, ‘tis a pity, e. g. of dealing harshly with the poor; gustuka-verk, a work of charity; göra e-t í gustuka skyni, to do a thing as a charity: in former times the phrases Guðs þakkir and sálu-gjafir (soul’s gifts) were synonymous, including not only gifts to churches, clergy, and the poor, but also the building of bridges, erecting hostelries, especially in desert places, and the like, whence the words, sælu-brú, soul’s bridge; sælu-hús, soul’s house.

2. in Icel. many sayings referring to the name of God are still household words, e. g. in entering a house, as a greeting, hér sé Guð, God be here! (from Luke x. 5): in returning thanks, Guðs ást, God’s love! Guð laun or Guð laun’ fyrir mig, God’s reward! Germ. vergelt’s Gott! or gefið þið í Guðs friði! to which the reply is, Guð blessi þig, God bless thee ! (which is also the answer to a greeting or to thanks); Guðs friði! or vertu í Guðs friði, be in God’s peace! is the usual farewell; and the answer is, Guð veri með þér, God be with thee! Guð hjálpi þér, God help thee! Germ. helf Gott! Engl. God bless you! (to one sneezing); Guð varðveiti þig, God ward thee! (to one playing with dangerous things); biddu Guð fyrir þér! (denoting wonder), pray God! gáðu að Guði, heed God! take heed! fyrir Guðs skuld, for God’s sake! ef Guð lofar, proncd. as one word (ef-guðlogar, changing f into g), God willing, a common phrase when speaking of plans for the future, eg skal koma á morgun, ef-guðlogar, I will come to-morrow, God willing (from James iv. 13–15), occurs in Skálda (Thorodd) 165, as also, ef Guð vill, if God will (less freq.); Guði sé lof, God be praised! Guð gæfi, God grant! Guðs mildi, by God’s grace; það var mesta Guðs mildi hann slasaði sig ekki; Guð gefi þér góðan dag, Guð gefi þér góðar nætr, whence abbreviated góðan dag, good day; góðar nætr, good night: the sayings, sá er ekki einn sem Guð er með; and þann má ekki kefja sem Guð vill hefja, Fb. iii. 408; eitthvað þeim til líknar legst, sem ljúfr Guð vill bjarga.

(-dda, -ddr), v.

1) to lead, conduct (Ólafr konungr leiddi Kjartan til skips); leiða upp skip, to drag a ship ashore;

2) fig., leiða augum (sjónum), to behold; leiða hugum, to consider; leiða huga at e-u, to mark, note; leiða spurningum at um e-t, to inquire; leiða getum um e-t, to guess at a thing; leiða ástum, to love; leiða af e-u, to result from;

3) gramm. to pronounce (því at hann leiddi eigi svá sem tíðast er);

4) to bury, lead to the grave (Steinarr leiddi hann uppi í holtum).

(-dda, -ddr), v.

1) leiða e-m e-t, to make a person loathe or avoid a thing;

2) refl., leiðast e-t (acc.), to loathe, get tired of (leiðist manngi gott, ef getr); impers., e-m leiðist, one feels discontented (man honum leiðast, ef deildr er verðrinn); mér leiðist e-t, I am tired of (leiðist mönnum opt á at heyra).

* * *

d, [A. S. lâdjan; Engl. to lead; Germ. leiten; Dan. lede]:—to lead, conduct, lead by the hand; hann tók í hönd henni ok leiddi hana eina saman, Nj. í 29: of guests, hvergi mun ek leiða þik, segir hón, ok far nú vel ok heill! Ld. 188; Ólafr konungr leiddi Kjartan til skips, 190; allir leiddu hann ofan til sjófar, 655 xvi. B. 2; leiddu Hildiríðarsynir hann virðuliga brott með gjöfum, Eg. 52; ef hón fær svá út leitt son sinn, at þat er með þvílíkri stórmensku sem nú leiðir hón hann inn, Ó. H. 31; þann skal út leiða, er maðr vill at aptr komi, a saying, Fær. 101; þá leiddi hann Eirík son sinn í hásæti sitt, Fms. i. 18; leiða fram, Nj. 91: metaph., leiða upp, to drag ashore; ætla þeir at leiða upp skipit undir honum, to draw it ashore, Ld. 78; ær þær er þeir telja at leitt hafi dilkana, Grág. i. 417: leiða konu í kirkju, to church a woman, N. G. L. i. 384, Vm. 76.

II. metaph. phrases, leiða augum (sjónum), to behold, Hým. 13, Sks. 434, Fms. ii. 6, Stj. 719; leiða hugum, to consider, meditate, Sks. 334, 368 (hug-leiðing); leiða huga at, to mark, note, 301, Fms. iv. 33 (at-hugi); leiða spurningum at um e-t, to enquire, 230; leiða getum um e-t, to guess at a thing, Nj. 14, 205; leiða atkvæðum, to declare, Niðrst. 2, Bs. i. 295; leiða ástum, to love, Hkv. Hjörv. 41, Eb. 206 (in a verse): leiða af e-u, to result from, Nj. 38, 109, 169, 171, Fms. iii. 210, H. E. i. 497 (af-leiðing = result).

2. gramm. to pronounce; þvíat hann leiddi eigi svá sem tíðast er, Glúm. 389; opt skipta orða-leiðingar öllu máli, hvárt inn sami hljóðstafr er leiddr skjótt eða seint, Skálda 171; hann kvaðsk Höskuldr heita, … Hvárt þótti þér hann seint leiða nafn sitt eðr skjótt?—Víst heldr seint, segir Rafn, þá kalla ek hann Haustskuld, Sturl. iii. 216.

III. to bury, lead to the grave; Steinarr leiddi hann uppi í holtunum, Eg. 713, Karl. 128; hann sá þar haug mikinn, hann spurði hverir þar væri leiddir, Landn. (App.) 254, 326, Bret. 166, v. l.

d, [different from the preceding word, see leiðr below; A. S. læddan = to hate; Engl. loathe]:—to make a person loathe a thing, with dat. of the person and acc. of the thing; hafði hann þat í hug sér, at leiða smá-mönnum at sækja mál á hendr honum, Hrafn. 18; en svá skal leiða dróttins-svikum, Fms. x. 271; ok leiða svá öðrum at brjóta lögin, vi. 98; ok leiðum svá öðrum frúm at svíkja sína herra, Karl. 59; ok l. honum svá landráð ok dróttins-svik, Fb. ii. 330.

II. reflex., with acc., leiðask e-t, to loathe, get tired of; ungr leiddisk eldvelli, Hornklofi; leiðisk manngi gott ef getr, Hm. 13; krása, þá seðsk hann ok leiðisk þær, Greg. 28; leiðask andligar krásir, 3; bóndi leiðisk konu sína, Post. 656 A. ii. 15; þá leiðisk þér þá ( abhor ye them) sem villu-menn eðr heiðingja, Bs. i. 105; nú vill sveinn eigi nema ok leiðisk bók, K. Þ. K. 56.

2. impers., e-m leiðisk e-ð, to become tired of; mér leiðisk at eiga fyrir höndum slíkan úfriðar-ágang, Fms. i. 188; ok leiðisk honum bók, Grág. (Kb.) i. 18; nú leiðisk mönnum hér at sitja, Fb. ii. 56: freq. in mod. usage, mér leiðist, ‘it irks me,’ I find the time long.

(að), v. to note, mark.

* * *

að, to note, mark, Skálda: to denote, Stj. 231, 278:—of music = nóta, sýngja sléttan söng sem nóterað var, Bs. i. 903.

1) mark, token;

2) note (in music).

m. match, equal, = maki, líki.

* * *

a, m. a note; merking eðr nóti, Skálda: notes in music, með inum fegrstum nótum, Str. 14, 6l.

II. a match, equal; séð hefi ek marga Íslenzka menn en öngan hans nóta, Nj. 121; vér fám eigi hans nóta í fræðum ok íþróttum, Fms. v. 335; engi riddari er hans nóti í turniment, Karl. 36, freq. in mod. usage.

n. a peace tablet, ‘pacifcale,’ a tablet with a crucifix and a ‘pax vobiscum’ beneath; in the Roman Catholic times it was presented to be kissed by the worshippers (osculum pacis), see Du Cange, as also a description in H. E. i. 173, note a, and iv. 135, note b; the pacificale was either a piece of parchment or a slab, paxspjald steint, annat með bókfell, Pm. 108; it was different to altaris steinn, altaris steinar þrír, paxspjald gulllagt, ok paxblöð tvau, 112; p. með kopar, 10; p. gyllt, Vm. 83; páskaspjald ok paxspjald yfir altari, Pm. 11, D.I. passim.

* * *

f. explanation, elucidation.

* * *

f. an elucidation, explanation, Sks. 522; s. eða glöggvari greining, Skálda 205; til sanns vitnisburðar ok skýringar, H. E. i. 508; skýringar meistari, an interpreter, Stj. 542, 559; skýringar laust, without commentary, 236; skýringar-grein, an explanatory note, foot-note.

or -AT or -T, a negative suffix to verbs, peculiar to Iceland and a part, at least, of Norway. Occurs frequently in old Icelandic poetry and laws, so as almost to form a complete negative voice. In the 1st pers. a personal pronoun k (g) = ek is inserted before the negative suffix, in the 2nd pers. a t or tt. As a rule the pron. as thus repeated; má-k-at-ek, non possum; sé-k-at-ek, non video; hef-k-at-ek, non habeo; skal-k-at-ek; vil-k-at-ek, nolo; mon-k-at-ek, non ero, etc.: 2nd pers. skal-t-at-tu; mon-t-at-tu; gaf-t-at-tu, non dabas: and after a long vowel a tt, mátt-at-tu, sátt-at-tu; so almost invariably in all monosyllabic verbal forms; but not so in bisyllabic ones, máttir-a-þú, non poteras: yet in some instances in the 1st pers. a pronominal g is inserted, e. g. bjargi-g-a-k, verbally servem ego non ego; höggvi-g-a-k, non cædam; stöðvi-g-a-k, quin sistam; vildi-g-a-k, nolui; hafði-g-a-k, non babui; mátti-g-a-k, non potui; görði-g-a-k, non feci: if the verb has gg as final radical consonants, they change into kk, e. g. þikk-at-ek = þigg-k-at-ek, nolo accipere. In the 3rd pers. a and at or t are used indifferently, t being particularly suffixed to bisyllabic verbal flexions ending in a vowel, in order to avoid an hiatus,—skal-at or skal-a, non erit; but skolo-t, non sunto: forms with an hiatus, however, occur,—bíti-a, non mordat; renni-a, ne currat; skríði-a, id.; leti-a, ne retardet; væri-a, ne esset; urðu-a, non erant; but bíti-t, renni-t, skríði-t, urðu-t are more current forms: v. Lex. Poët. The negative suffix is almost peculiar to indic., conj., and imperat. moods; the neg. infin. hardly occurs. Nothing analogous to this form is to be found in any South-Teutonic idiom; neither do there remain any traces of its having been used in Sweden or Denmark. A single exception is the Runic verse on a stone monument in Öland, an old Danish province, now Swedish, where however the inscriptions may proceed from a Norse or Icel. hand. The Runic inscriptions run thus, sa’r aigi flo, who did not fly, old Icel. ‘flo-at,’ Baut. 1169. Neither does it occur in any Norse prose monuments (laws): but its use may yet be inferred from its occurrence in Norse poets of the 10th century, e. g. the poets Eyvind and Thiodolf; some of which instances, however, may be due to their being transmitted through Icel. oral tradition. In Bragi Gamli (9th century) it occurs twice or thrice; in the Haustlöng four times, in Ynglingatal four times, in Hákonarmál once (all Norse poems of the 10th century). In Icel. the suffixed negation was in full force through the whole of the 10th century. A slight difference in idioms, however, may be observed: Völuspá, e. g., prefers the negation by né (using vas-at only once, verse 3). In the old Hávamal the suffix abounds (being used thirty-five times), see the verses 6, 10, 11, 18, 26, 29, 30, 34, 37–39, 49, 51, 52, 68, 74, 88, 113–115, 126–128, 130, 134, 136, 147, 149, 151, 153, 159. In Skírnismál, Harbarðsljóð, Lokasenna—all these poems probably composed by the same author, and not before the 10th century—about thirty times, viz. Hbl. 3, 4, 8, 14, 26, 35, 56; Skm. 5, 18, 22; Ls. 15, 16, 18, 25, 28, 30, 36, 42, 47, 49, 56, 60, 62. Egil (born circa 900, died circa 990) abounds in the use of the suffixed neg. (he most commonly avails himself of -at, -gi, or né): so, too, does Hallfred (born circa 968, died 1008), Einar Skálaglam in Vellekla (circa 940–995), and Thorarin in the Máhlíðingavísur (composed in the year 981); and in the few epigrams relating to the introduction of Christianity in Icel. (995–1000) there occur mon-k-að-ek, tek-k-at-ek, vil-k-at-ek, hlífði-t, mon-a, es-a; cp. the Kristni S. and Njala. From this time, however, its use becomes more rare. Sighvat (born circa 995, died 1040) still makes a frequent but not exclusive use of it. Subsequent poets use it now and then as an epic form, until it disappeared almost entirely in poetry at the middle or end of the 13th century. In the Sólarljóð there is not a single instance. The verses of some of our Sagas are probably later than the Sagas themselves; the greatest part of the Völsungakviður are scarcely older than the 11th century. In all these -at and conj. eigi are used indifferently. In prose the laws continued to employ the old forms long after they were abolished in common prose. The suffixed verbal negation was used,

α. in the delivering of the oath in the Icel. Courts, esp. the Fifth Court, instituted about the year 1004; and it seems to have been used through the whole of the Icel. Commonwealth (till the year 1272). The oath of the Fifth (High) Court, as preserved in the Grágás, runs in the 1st pers., hefka ek fé borit í dóm þenna til liðs mér um sök þessa, ok ek monka bjóða, hefka ek fundit, ok monka ek finna, hvárki til laga né ólaga, p. 79; and again p. 81, only different as to ek hefka, ek monka (new Ed.): 3rd pers., hefirat hann fé; borit í dóm þenna ok monat hann bjóða, ok hefirat hann fundit, ok monat hann tinna, 80, 81; cp. also 82, and Nj. l. c. ch. 145, where it is interesting to observe that the author confounds the ist and 3rd persons, a sign of decay in grammatical form.

β. the Speaker (lögsögumaðr), in publicly reciting and explaining the law, and speaking in the name of the law, from the Hill of Laws (lögberg), frequently employed the old form, esp. in the legal words of command es and skal (yet seldom in plur.): erat in the dictatorial phrases, erat skyldr (skylt), non esto obligatus; erat landeigandi skyldr, Grág. (Kb.) i. 17; erat hinn skyldr, 21; yngri maðr era skyldr at fasta, 35; enda erat honum þá skylt at …, 48; erat þat sakar spell, 127; era hinn þá skyldr at lýsa, 154; erat hann framar skyldr sakráða, 216; ok erat hann skyldr at ábyrgjask þat fé, 238; ok erat hann skyldr, id.; ok erat sakar aðili ella skyldr, ii. 74; erat hinn skyldr við at taka, 142; erat manni skylt at taka búfé, 143; enda erat heimting til fjár þess, 169; era hann þá skyldr at taka við í öðru fé nema hann vili, 209; ok erat þeim skylt at tíunda fé sitt, 211; ok erat hann skyldr at gjalda tíund af því, 212; erat kirkjudrottinn þá skyldr, 228; ef hann erat landeigandi, i. 136. Skalat: skalat maðr eiga fó óborit, i. 23; skalat homum þat verða optar en um siun, 55; skalat maðr ryðja við sjálfan sik, 62; skalat hann þat svá dvelja, 68; skalat hann til véfangs ganga, 71; skalat aðilja í stefnuvætti hafa, 127; ok skala hann gjalda fyrir þat, 135; ok skalat hann með sök fara, 171; enda skalat hann fleirum baugum bœta, 199; skalat hann skilja félagit, 240; skalat hann meiri skuld eiga en, ii. 4; skalat þeim meðan á brott skipta, 5; skalat hann lögvillr verða, svá, 34; skalat hon at heldr varðveita þat fé, 59; í skalat enn sami maðr þar lengr vera, 71; ok skala honum bæta þat, 79; skalat fyl telja, 89; skalat hann banna fiskför, 123; skalat hann lóga fé því á engi veg, 158; skalat drepa þá menn, 167; skalat svá skipta manneldi, 173; skalat maðr reiðast við fjórðungi vísu, 183. Plur.: skolut menn andvitni bera ok hér á þingi, i. 68; skolut mál hans standast, 71; skolut þeir færi til vefangs ganga en, 75, etc. etc. Other instances are rare: tekrat þar fé er eigi er til (a proverb), i. 9; ok um telrat þat til sakbóta, ok of telrat þá til sakbóta ( it does not count), 178; ef hann villat ( will not) lýsa sár sitt, 51; ok ræðrat hann öðrum mönnum á hendr þann úmaga, 248; ræðrat sá sínum ómögum á hendr, ii. 18; verðrat honum at sakarspelli and verðrat honum þat at s., i. 63; verðrat honum þat at sakarvörn, 149; kömrat hann öðru við, ii. 141; þarfat hann bíða til þess, i. 70; ok skilrat hann frá aðra aura, ii. 141, i. 136. Reflexive form: kömskat hann til heimtingar um þat fé, he loses the claim to the money, ii. 180, etc. All these instances are taken from the Kb. (Ed. 1853). Remarkable is also the ambiguity in the oath of Glum (see Sir Edm. Head, Viga-Glum, pp. 102, 103, note, I. c.), who, instead of the plain common formal oath—vask-at-ek þar, vák-at-ek þar, rauðk-at-ek þar odd ok egg—said, vask at þar, vák at þar, rauðk at þar. He inverted the sense by dropping the intermediate pronominal ek between the verb and þar, and pronouncing ‒ ‒́ instead of ‒́ ⏑. It further occurs in some few proverbs: varat af vöru, sleikði um þvöru, Fs. 159; veldrat sá er varir, Nj. 61 (now commonly ekki veldr sá er v., so in Grett.); erat héra at borgnara þótt hœna beri skjöld, Fms. vii. 116; era hlums vant kvað refr, dró hörpu á ísi, 19: also in some phrases, referred to as verba ipsissima from the heathen age—erat vinum líft Ingimundar, Fs. 39; erat sjá draumr minni, Ld. 128. Thorodd employs it twice or thrice: því at ek sékk-a þess meiri þörf, because í do not see any more reason for this, Skálda 167; kannka ek til þess meiri ráð en lítil, I do not know, id.; mona ( will not) mín móna ( my mammy) við mik göra verst hjóna, 163. In sacred translations of the 12th century it occurs now and then. In the Homilies and Dialogues of Gregory the Great: monatþu í því flóði verða, thou shalt not; esa þat undarligt þótt, it is not to be wondered at; hann máttia sofna, he could not sleep; moncaþ ek banna, I shall not mind, Greg. 51, 53; vasal kall heyrt á strætum, was not, Post. 645. 84; nú mona fríðir menn hér koma, Niðrst. 623. 7. In later writers as an archaism; a few times in the Al. (MS. A. M. 519), 3, 5, 6, 44, 108; and about as many times in the MS. Eirspennill (A. M. 47, fol.) [Etymon uncertain; that at is the right form may be inferred from the assimilation in at-tu, and the anastrophe in t, though the reason for the frequent dropping of the t is still unexplained. The coincidence with the Scottish dinna, canna is quite accidental.]