a dialogue

s, m., pl. ir: [the etymology of this word has been much contested; some—upon the authority of Snorri, hans menn fóru ‘brynjulausir,’ Hkr. i. 11—derive it from ‘berr’ ( bare) and ‘serkr’ [cp. sark, Scot. for shirt]; but this etymology is inadmissible, because ‘serkr’ is a subst. not an adj.: others derive it from ‘berr’ (Germ. bär = ursus), which is greatly to be preferred, for in olden ages athletes and champions used to wear hides of bears, wolves, and reindeer (as skins of lions in the south), hence the names Bjálfi, Bjarnhéðinn, Úlfhéðinn, (héðinn, pellis,)—‘pellibus aut parvis rhenonum tegimentis utuntur,’ Caes. Bell. Gall. vi. 22: even the old poets understood the name so, as may be seen in the poem of Hornklofi (beginning of 10th century), a dialogue between a Valkyrja and a raven, where the Valkyrja says, at berserkja reiðu vil ek þik spyrja, to which the raven replies, Úlfhéðnar heita, they are called Wolfcoats, cp. the Vd. ch. 9; þeir berserkir er Úlfhéðnar vóru kallaðir, þeir höfðu vargstakka ( coats of wild beasts) fyrir brynjur, Fs. 17]:—a ‘bear-sark,’ ‘bear-coat,’ i. e. a wild warrior or champion of the heathen age; twelve berserkers are mentioned as the chief followers of several kings of antiquity, e. g. of the Dan. king Rolf Krake, Edda 82; a Swed. king, Gautr. S. Fas. iii. 36; king Adils, Hrólf. Kr. S. ch. 16 sqq.; Harald Hárfagri, Eg. ch. 9, Grett. ch. 2, Vd. l. c. (Hornklofi, v. above); the twelve sons of Arngrim, Hervar. S. ch. 3–5, Hdl. 22, 23; the two berserkers sent as a present by king Eric at Upsala to earl Hakon of Norway, and by him presented to an Icel. nobleman, Eb. ch. 25. In battle the berserkers were subject to fits of frenzy, called berserks-gangr (furor bersercicus, cp. the phrase, ganga berserksgang), when they howled like wild beasts, foamed at the mouth and gnawed the iron rim of their shields; during these fits they were, according to popular belief, proof against steel and fire, and made great havoc in the ranks of the enemy; but when the fever abated they were weak and tame. A graphical description of the ‘furor bersercicus’ is found in the Sagas, Yngl. S. ch. 6, Hervar. S. l. c., Eg. ch. 27, 67, Grett. ch. 42, Eb. ch. 25, Nj. ch. 104, Kristni S. ch. 2, 8 (Vd. ch. 46); cp. also a passage in the poem of Hornklofi | grenjuðu berserkir, | guðr var þeim á sinnum, | emjaðu Úlfhéðnar | ok ísarn gniiðu—which lines recall to the mind Roman descriptions of the Cimbric war-cry. In the Icel. Jus Eccles. the berserksgangr, as connected with the heathen age, is liable to the lesser outlawry, K. Þ. K. 78; it is mentioned as a sort of possession in Vd. ch. 37, and as healed by a vow to God. In the Dropl. S. Major (in MS.) it is medically described as a disease (v. the whole extract in the essay ‘De furore Bersercico,’ Kristni S. old Ed. in cake); but this Saga is modern, probably of the first part of the 17th century. The description of these champions has a rather mythical character. A somewhat different sort of berserker is also recorded in Norway as existing in gangs of professional bullies, roaming about from house to house, challenging husbandmen to ‘holmgang’ ( duel), extorting ransom (leysa sik af hólmi), and, in case of victory, carrying off wives, sisters, or daughters; but in most cases the damsel is happily rescued by some travelling Icelander, who fights and kills the berserker. The most curious passages are Glúm, ch. 4, 6, Gísl. ch. 1 (cp. Sir Edm. Head’s and Mr. Dasent’s remarks in the prefaces), Grett. ch. 21, 42, Eg. ch. 67, Flóam. S. ch. 15, 17; according to Grett. ch. 21, these banditti were made outlaws by earl Eric, A. D. 1012. It is worth noticing that no berserker is described as a native of Icel.; the historians are anxious to state that those who appeared in Icel. (Nj., Eb., Kr. S. l. c.) were born Norse (or Swedes), and they were looked upon with fear and execration. That men of the heathen age were taken with fits of the ‘furor athleticus’ is recorded in the case of Thorir in the Vd., the old Kveldulf in Eg., and proved by the fact that the law set a penalty upon it. Berserkr now and then occurs as a nickname, Glúm. 378. The author of the Yngl. S. attributes the berserksgangr to Odin and his followers, but this is a sheer misinterpretation, or perhaps the whole passage is a rude paraphrase of Hm. 149 sqq. In the old Hbl. 37 berserkr and giant are used synonymously. The berserkers are the representatives of mere brute force, and it therefore sounds almost blasphemous, when the Norse Barl. S. speaks of Guðs berserkr (a ‘bear-coat’ or champion of God), (Jesus Kristr gleymdi eigi hólmgöngu sins berserks), 54, 197. With the introduction of Christianity this championship disappeared altogether.

að, to shout ‘God;’ in Icel. it is the custom for a stranger arriving at a house at night after ‘day-set’ (dagsetr, q. v.), instead of knocking at the door, to climb to the louvre and shout, hér sé Guð, God be here! this is called að guða; the dialogue is well given in a ditty of Stefán Ólafsson, Hott, hott og hæ! Hér sé Guð í bæ! sælt fólkið allt! mér er sárkalt.—Svöruðu heima-hjú, Hvað heitir þú?—Eg heiti Jón, Jóhanns þjón, etc.; or in another ditty, Her sé Guð á góðum bæ | gestr er á ljóra | andsvörin eg engin fæ | ekki vaknar Þóra; or Guðað er nú á glugga | góðvinr kominn er, Jónas 119.

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pers. pron. he.

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pers. pron. masc. he; fem. HÓN or HÚN, she; for the pronunciation of this word see introduction to letter H; as to the inflexion see Gramm. p. xxi; in the MSS. the word is usually abbreviated  = hann; hº or hō = hón; m = hánum; ar = hennar; i or e = henni: the old dat. masc. was hánum, as shewn by rhymes, mána vegr und hánum, Haustl.; but in Icel. it was no doubt sounded h́num, by way of umlaut; it was then sounded hónum with a long vowel, and lastly honum with a short vowel, which also is the mod. form; the old MSS. often spell hánum in full; the spelling hönum in old printed books recalls the old form h́num; from Pass. 9. 7 it may be seen that in the middle of the 17th century the dative was sounded precisely as at present.

2. sing. fem. hón (ho in mod. Norse, hoo in Lancashire) seems to be the older form; the MSS. use both forms hón and hún, but the former is the usual one; it was prob. sounded h́n, which again points to a long root vowel, hánn, hána? [Cp. Ulf. is; Germ. er; A. S., Engl., and Hel. he; old Fris. hi; in the Scandin. idioms with a suffixed demonstrative particle, vide Gramm. p. xxviii; Dan. and Swed. han, hun, etc.]

B. As this word appears almost in every line only special usages need be mentioned, as, ef maðr færir ómaga fram ok beri fé undir hann (acc., sc. ómagi), eðr eigi hann (nom., the same) fé, þá skal hann (nom., sc. maðr) beiða hann (acc., sc. ómagi) með vátta, at hann (nom., the same) seli hánum (dat., sc. maðr) fjár-heimting á hönd þeim mönnum er hann (nom., sc. ómagi) á fé undir, Grág. i. 279; here the context is very perplexing, chiefly owing to the identity of acc. and nom. sing. masc., but also because the pron. is sometimes demonstr., sometimes reflexive; in the latter case an Icel. would now say sér instead of hánum: so also, þá skal hann beiða samþingis-goða, at hanu fái honum (i. e. sibi) mann, 10: again, skal hann selja sókn ok vörn ef hann vill, ok svá varðveizlu fjár síns þess er hann á hér eptir, 146; þá skal hón ráða við ráð frænda síns ( her) nokkurs, 307; Gunnarr kenndi féit at þat var hit sama sem hann (i. e. Njal) hafði honum (i. e. to Gunnar) greitt, Nj. 56.

II. the pers. pron. is often prefixed to a pr. name, as a sign of familiarity; farit upp til hestsins ok gætið hans Kols, Nj. 56; eðr hverr maðr er hann Gunnarr, what sort of a man is Gunnar? 51; ok hleypr á hann Þorkel upp, 114; ok leitið ér at honum Höskuldi, go and look after Hoskuld, 171; sæmd er ek veitta honum Þórólfi bróður þínum, Eg. 112; segir hann Pálnir, Fms. xi. 47; hón Ingibjörg, 49; hann Gísli, Grett. (in a verse); ok berjask við hann Ólaf, Fagrsk. 86; hans Vígólfs, Sól.; svá er, segir hann Þórðr, Ísl. ii. 329:—this has become very freq. in mod. conversational usage, so that a person (nay, even an animal or a ship that has a name) is scarcely ever named without the pron., bidd’ ‘ann Jón að koma, segð’ ‘onum Jóni, vekt’ ‘ana Sigríði; hún Sigga litla, hann Jón litli, etc.; or of ponies, sækt’ ‘ann Brún, legð’ á ‘ana Skjónu; cp. the dialogue in Ísl. Þjóðs. i. 612,—ég skal fylla mína hít, segir ‘ún Hvít, ég ét sem ég þoli, segir ‘ann boli, etc.; or Kvöldv. ii. 197,—taktú þarna frá ‘enni Reyðr og gefð’ ‘enni Hyrnu, hún Húfa hefir flækt sig í niðrbandinu.

III. er hann = who, that; sá maðr er hann vill, Grág. i. 19, 27, 36, vide p. 132.

2. answering to Fr. on, Germ. man, Engl. one; væri sverðit til tækt er hann vildi, when one wished, Eg. 505; but this use is very rare.

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1) closed hand, fist;

2) the king in hnefa-tafl.

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a, m. the king in a kind of chess played by the ancients, Fas. ii. 68: the game was called hnefa-tafl, n., which is variously spelt—nettafl, Gullþ. 20, and hnettafl, Grett. 144 A (which are contracted or assimilated forms); hneftafl, Mork. 186, Fms. vi. 29, Fas. i. 284; hnottafl (a bad form), Fas. i. 476 in a spurious verse, and in Krók. ch. 10; hnefa-tafl (the true form), Fas. i. 67. The game is best described in Friðþ. S. ch. 3, and in one of the riddles in Hervar. S. (where however the rhymed replies are not genuine): ‘Who are the maids that fight about their unarmed lord, the dark all day defending, but the fair slaying?’ The players were two, as in chess; there was only one king (hnefi), here called the ‘unarmed lord;’ the pieces (töflur) were white and red, the white attacking, the red defending the hnefi; þat er hneftafl, enar dökkri verja hnefann, en hinar hvítari sækja, Fas. i. 474; þat er húninn í hneftafli, 476: pieces made of silver are recorded in Gullþ. S., of walrus-bone in Krók. l. c. For the general use of this game, cp. the dialogue between the two brother kings, Mork. l. c.,—teflig hneftafl betr, era þat minna vert en afl þitt; Sigurðr Ormr í auga ok Hvítserkr hvati sitja at hneftafli, Fas. i. 284: whenever tafl is mentioned, this particular game seems to be understood, e. g. the gullnar töflur and tefldu í túni of the Vsp.; cp. earl Rögnvald’s verse in Orkn. ch. 61; and the fatal game of chess between king Canute and earl Ulf in Roeskilde A. D. 1027 was probably a hneftafl. We see from Mork. l. c. that it was still played at the beginning of the 12th century, but in after times it was superseded by the true chess (skák); both games were probably of the same origin.

COMPDS: hnefatafla, hneftöfl, hnettöfl, hnettafla.

n. heathen temple.

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n. [in A. S., Hel., and O. H. G. hof means a hall, Lat. aedes, (whence mod. Germ. hof = a farm, answering to Icel. bær or Norse ból,) and spec. the court or king’s household, (in the old Scandin. languages this sense is unknown); Ulf renders ναός and ἱερόν by alhs; in Danish local names -vé prevails, but in Norse and Icel. Hof still survives in many local names, Hof, Hof-garðr, Hof-staðir, Hofs-fell, Hofs-teigr, Hofs-vágr, Landn., Munch’s Norg. Beskriv.; and as the temple formed the nucleus of the old political life (see goði and goðorð), all these names throw light on the old political geography; cp. Hofland near Appleby in Engl.]:—a temple; distinction is made between hof, a temple ( a sanctuary with a roof), and hörgr, an altar, holy circle, or any roofless place of worship: passages referring to hof and worship are very numerous, e. g. for Norway, Hkr. Yngl. S. ch. 12, Hák. S. Aðalst. ch. 16, Ó. T. ch. 76 (by Odd Munk ch. 41), Ó. H. (1853) ch. 113–115, O. H. L. ch. 36, Fær. ch. 23, Nj. ch. 88, 89, Fas. i. 474 (Hervar. S.); for Iceland, Landn. 1. ch. 11, 21, 2. ch. 12, 3. ch. 16 (twice), 4. ch. 2, 6 (interesting), 7, 5. ch. 3 (p. 284), 8 (interesting), 12, Eb. ch. 3, 4, 10, Glúm. ch. 25, Harð. ch. 19, 37, Vd. ch. 15, 17, Hrafn. ch. 2, Eg. ch. 87, Gullþ. ch. 7, Vápn. pp. 10, 11, Dropl. pp. 10, 11, Kristni S. ch. 2, etc.; cp. also Vsp. 7, Vþm. 38, Hkv. Hjörv. 4: poët., orð-hof, the word’s sanctuary = the mouth, Stor.

2. a hall (as in Germ. and Saxon), Hým. 33 (απ. λεγ.)

COMPDS:

I. with gen., hofs-dyrr, n. pl. temple-doors, Fms. i. 97. hofs-eiðr, m. a temple-oath, Glúm. 388. hofs-goði, a, m. = hofgoði, Eg. 754. hofs-helgi, f. = hofhelgi. hofs-hurð, f. a temple-door ( janua), Fms. i. 302. hofs-höfðingi, a, m. a temple-lord, Post. 645. 90. hofs-mold, f. temple-earth, holy mould, see Landn. 254. hofs-teigr, m. a strip of temple-land, glebe, Landn. 241.

II. hof-garðr, m. a temple-yard, a local name, Landn. hof-goði, a, m. a temple-priest (see goði), Landn. 254, Hkr. i. 6, Eb. 12, 14, 16 new Ed. hof-grið, n. pl. asylum in a sanctuary, Landn. 80, v. l. hof-gyðja, u, f. a priestess, Vápn. 10, Landn. 265, v. l. hof-helgi, f. a temple-holiday, feast; halda h., Ísl. ii. 15: the sanctity of a hof, Bret. 38, Eg. 251. hof-prestr, m. a temple-priest, Stj. hof-staðr, m. a ‘temple-stead,’ sanctuary, Eb. 26, Fms. ii. 73. hof-tollr, m. a temple-toll, rate, Vápn. 10, Eb. 6, 12 new Ed., Bs. i. 6, Gullþ. 11, answering to the modern church-rate.

B. A court, almost solely in compds, and not earlier than the 14th century, from Romances: hof-ferð, f. pride, pomp, Bs. ii. 122. hof-ferðugr, adj. proud. hof-fólk, n. pl. courtiers, Thom. 322, 479, Grett. 161, Karl. 51, Pass. 21. 8. hof-frakt, n. pomp, Fas. i. 46, Snót 86. hof-garðr, m. a lordly mansion, Thom., Bév., Rétt. hof-list, f. pomp, Thom. 479. hof-lýðr, m. = hoffólk, Clar. hof-maðr, m. a courtier; in pl. hofmenn, lords; hertogi greifi ok aðrir hofmenn, Ann. 1303; gentry, chiefly in the ballads of the Middle Ages, Ungan leit eg hofmann, Fkv. In the old dancing parties the leader of the gentlemen was styled hofmann (cp. Germ. Hoffmann). Before dancing began, men and maids having been drawn up in two rows, he went up to the ladies, and the following dialogue ensued: Hér er Hofmann, hér eru allir Hofmanns sveinar.—Hvað vill Hofmann, hvað vilja allir Hofmanns sveinar?—Mey vill Hofmann, mey vilja allir Hofmanns sveinar. Then each dancer engaged his lady for the dance; það var hlaup, og það var hofmanns hlaup, Safn i. 689. A plain in the neighbourhood of the alþingi, where the people met, is still called Hofmanna-flöt, f. ‘Gentry’s Lea.’ hof-móðugr, adj. haughty, Pass. 18. 5. hof-tyft, f. urbanity, Clar. hof-verk, n. a great feat, Safn i. 71. hof-þénari, a, m. a court servant, Fas. iii. 408.

or mann-jöfnuðr, m. a comparison of men, i. e. a dispute in which each contends that his hero is the greatest; þar var ölteiti mörg, þar var talat um mannjöfnuð, ok hverr þar væri göfgastr maðr í sveit eðr mestr höfðingi ok urðu menn þar eigi á eitt sáttir, sem optast verðr ef um mannjöfnuð er talað, i. e. a comparison of persons is odious, creates strife, Eb. 184; Þorsteinn svarar, ekki ferr ek í mannjöfnuð, segir hann, Ísl. ii. 214; þar var margt talat er menn vóru drukknir mjök, ok kom þar at rætt var um mannjöfnuð, Orkn. 210; þeir fóru í mannjöfnuð ok töluðu um Þorgils ok Eirek, Fs. 149; var mart talat við drykkinn, ok þar kom at farit var í mannjafnað, ok því næst var rætt urn konungana sjálfa, Fms. i. 58; for a classical instance see the dialogue between the two brother kings, Mork. 186 (mannjafnaðr konunga, cp. Fms. vii. 118 sqq.)

2. a matching or pairing of persons as to the weregilds to be paid for wounds and slaughter on both sides after a battle, Ísl. ii. 384, Fb. iii. 453.

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1) speech, faculty of speech (þrøngdi svá sóttarfari konungs, at hann misti málsins);

þau hafa ekki mál, they are dumb;

2) language, tongue;

norrønt mál, the Norse tongue;

3) speech, speaking (hvárt er Flosi svá nær, at hann megi heyra mál mitt);

4) colloquy, talk, speech;

koma á mál (or at máli) við e-n, to come to talk with, speak to;

finna (hitta) e-n at máli, to obtain speech with;

krefja e-n máls, to ask an interview with;

leita mills við e-n (spyrja e-n máls, mæla mál of e-m), to broach a subject to one;

bera mál á e-t, hafa e-t á (or at) máli, to speak (talk) of (allir menn höfðu á máli, hversu fríðr maðr hann var);

lúka sínu máli, to end one’s speech;

þat er mál manna, at, people say that;

5) tale, story;

nú er þar til máls at taka, now it must be told;

6) saw, saying;

fornt (fornkveðit) mál er, at, it is an old saw that;

7) diction, construction of sentences;

8) sentence;

tvau mál, two sentences;

fullt mál, a full period;

9) suit, action, cause;

hefja mál á hendr e-m, to bring an action against one;

búa mál, to prepare a suit;

sœkja mál, to prosecute;

10) stipulation, agreement (ek vil halda mil við hann þan, sem mælt vóru);

lauss allra mála, free of all stipulations;

11) case, matter, affair (þetta mál var við Jórunni rœtt);

svá er mál með vexti, the matter stands thus;

var þat annat mál, another matter;

miðla mál, to mediate;

tillagagóðr inna stœrri mála, a good counsellor in great matters;

hafa sitt mál, to have one’s own way, have one’s will (honum eirir illa, of hann hefir eigi sitt mál);

hafa mikit til síns máls, to have much in support of one’s case;

e-t skiptir miklu (litlu) máli, it is of great (small) importance;

12) three months (mál ok misseri).

1) measure (fimm álna er hátt mál hans);

leggja, bera mál við e-t, to measure (hann lagði mál við öll in stœrstu tré);

2) time, high time (mál er upp at standa);

sagði, at þá var mið nótt ók at enn væri mál at sofa, and still time to sleep;

3) meal;

í eitt mál, at einu máli, for one single meal;

deila mat at málum, to deal out food at each meal.

n. inlaid ornaments (on the hilts and guards of swords).

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n., old pl. m́l, 673. 47, Greg.; [Ulf. maþl = ἀγορά; Hel. mahal = speech, meeting; Dan. maal; from the old Teut. maþl or mahal was formed the mid. Lat. mallum = parliament, public meeting (Du Cange), and mallum again was in Norman-French rendered by parliament.]

A. Speech, faculty of speech; mál heitir orð …, Edda 110; þau hafa ekki mál, they are dumb, Fms. i. 97, Fs. i. 250; þröngdi svá sóttar-fari konungs at hann misti málsins, x. 148; þeir hafa eigi manns rödd né mál, Rb. 348; þeir hafa gauð fyrir mál, 346; mál, heyrn, sjón, Edda 6.

II. speech as spoken, language, tongue; Norrænt mál, the Norse tongue, Fms. vii. 165; Gírskt mál, Greg. 75; í máli þeirra, til várs máls, in our tongue; í hverju máli, Skálda 161, 168; í vóru máli, 163, 166, 167, 169; í málinu, 165; kynnask várt mál at ráða þat er á Norrænu er ritað, Bs. i. 59; nema mál á Danska tungu, Grág.; rita at Norrænu máli, Hkr. (pref.); þeir skildu eigi hans mál, þá mælti kvinnan á Norrænu, Fs. 136.

2. speech, speaking; hvárt er Flosi svá nær at hann megi heyra mál mitt, Nj. 36, 200; ver eigi nær honum en mál nemi, Fms. iv. 28; en skáldskapr var honum svá tiltækr, at hann mælti af tungu fram sem annat mál, 374; engi var svá vitr at snjallara mál mundi fram bera, vii. 158; snjallr í máli ok talaðr vel. ix. 535; skilr þú nokkut hérmanna mál, Fas. ii. 512; en er hann lauk sínu máli, Ld. 106, 130, Íb. 12; ok fara svá öllu máli um sem hann hafi áðr ekki um mælt, Grág. i. 40; ef hann kveðr svá at ok hafði í máli sínu, ‘heilt ráð ok heimolt,’ en eigi ella, 317; kveðr jarl þings ok mælti þeim málum á þinginu at Hákon jarl skyldi heita vargr í véum, Fms. xi. 40; tína fyrir mér öll þau mál ok athæfi er hafa þarf fyrir konungi, Sks. 301.

3. speaking one to another, colloquy; vera á máli, to deliberate, converse, Vtkv., 1; hann kom opt á mál við konung, Eg. 106; engi þorði at krefja hann máls, 601; Þórdís gékk til máls við Egil frænda sinn, 765; þegar er þeir fundu menn at máli, Fms. i. 204; ef þeir vildu hafa hans mál, 241; síðan hættu þau málinu, Nj. 10; hann leitaði þá máls um við Ásgerði hverju þat gegndi, Eg. 703; ok spyrja hana máls hvar til þessi svör skulu koma, Hkr. i. 77; þat var karl ok kerling, mælti hann mál af þeim ok spurði, Fas. iii. 525; höfðu menn at máli (people noticed, of something extraordinary), at…, Fms. vii. 301; allir menn höfðu á máli, er Ólaf sá, hversu fríðr maðr hann var, Ld. 88; bera mikit mál á, Fms. x. 93; þat var mál manna, people said that; or, þat er mál manna, people say, Nj. 268, Eg. 29, Fms. vii. 150.

4. a tale, narrative; nú er þat til máls at taka (of resuming the narrative after an episode), to take up the story again, Ld. 314, Nj. 16, 29, 135, 148, 196; er fyrr var getið í þessu máli, Fms. xi. 41; þar hef ek upp þat mál, Eg. 735.

5. a saw; þat er fornt mál (‘tis an old saw), at bísna skal at betr verði, Fms. x. 261, Glúm. 344; á líti þeir mál in fornu, look to the old wise sayings, Sighvat (forn-mæli, q. v.)

6. gramm. diction, construction of sentences; mál ok hættir, Edda 49; ef þat mál ( figure of speech) er upp er tekit haldi of alla vísu-lengd, 123; breyta háttum með máli einu, to vary the verses with the sentences, Edda 124 (for specimens see lit. 9–23); tvau mál, two sentences; fullt mál, a full period; hér lýkr máli, lúka heilu máli, a sentence closes; annat ok þriðja vísu-orð er sér um mál, ok er þat stál kallat, of the intercalary sentences in poetry, Edda 125; þeir kölluðu at hann hafði eigi rétt ort at máli, Fms. v. 209; samhljóðendr megu ekki mál eðr atkvæði göra einir við sik, Skálda; hér er mál fullt í hverju vísu-orði, Edda; Skáldskapar-mál, poetical diction, id.; bragar-mál, id., 124.

7. mál is the name of old songs containing old saws or sentences, such as the Háva-mál; as also of poems in a dialogue (mál); all such poems were in a peculiar metre called mála-háttr, which is opposed to the epic kviðu-háttr, thus, Grímnis-mál, Vafþrúðnis-mál, Alvís-mál, Hamðis-mál, Hákonar-mál, Eiríks-mál; in some instances the name has been applied erroneously, e. g. Atla-mál; the Rígs-mál is a name given in modern times, the old name was Rígs-þula.

B. As a law phrase, with the notion of public speaking, action, or the like:

1. a suit, action, cause; hefja mál á hendr e-m, Fms. vii. 130; hafa mál á höndum, Grág. i. 38; sókn skal fyrr fara fram hvers máls en vörn, nema þat sé allt eitt, ok sé þat annars máls sókn er annars er vörn, 59; Njáll nefndi vátta ok sagði únýtt málit, Nj. 36; ekki á Bjarkeyjar-réttr á því máli at standa, Fms. vii. 130; þeir veittu Gizuri hvíta at hverju máli, Nj. 86; báru þeir kvið um mál Otkels, 87; færa mál fram at dómi, Grág, i. 135; sækja mál, to prosecute, Nj. 86, 99; sækja mál lögliga ok réttliga, Fms. vii. 133; Gunnarr sótti málit þar til er hann bauð til varna, Nj. 36; en um tólf mánuðr stendr þeirra mál, the case stands over for twelve months, Grág. i. 143; sækja mál á þingi, Nj. 36; færa vörn fyrir mál, 87; mál kemr í dóm, Glúm. 365; höfða mál, to institute a suit, Grág. i. 142; búa mál, to prepare a suit, of the preliminaries, Glúm. 365, passim; leggja mál undir e-n (as umpire), Nj. 105; hafa sitt mál, to get one’s verdict, win the suit, passim; vera borinn máli, to be cast, convicted, N. G. L. i. 122: to be beaten, get the worst, passim: vígs-mál, legorðs-mál, fé-mál, etc.

2. an indictment, charge;þá eru þeir varðir máli ef þeir fá þann bjargkvið, Grág. i. 54; ok versk hann þá málinu, 317; at upp skyldi vera rannsókn en þau ór málinu ef hann hittisk eigi þar, Ld. 44; ek vil svara því máli, I will answer that charge, Nj. 99; ok bað Sigurð Hranason svara þar málum fyrir sik, Fms. vii. 130; á hann kost at láta varða skóggang eða görtæki, ef hann vill til hins meira máls færa ok skal hann stefna ok láta varða skóggang, Grág. i. 430; hann spurði alla ena beztu menn, hvert mál þeim þætti Gunnarr eiga á þeim nöfnum fyrir fjörráðin, Nj. 105; leynd mál, hidden charges, Grág. i. 362.

3. procedure, order; at alþingis-máli réttu ok allsherjar-lögum, Nj. 87: pleading, enda er svá sem þeir mæli eigi þeim m́lum nema þeir vinni eiða at, Grág. ii. 342.

4. stipulation, agreement; mál meginlig, Vsp.; bregða máli, Grág. i. 148; ok skilja þeir eigi þat mál görr, en svá, 136; nema þau vili annat mál á göra, 336; en ek skal lauss allra mála ef hann kemr eigi svá út, Ísl. ii. 217; skulu þeirra manna mál standask, Grág. i. 296: engagement, ok vitja málanna fyrir hönd okkra beggja, Fms. xi. 104.

5. transactions; en hvert sem at þessum málum var setið lengr eða skemr, Ld. 22.

6. a case; lá ek þá í vöggu er þær skyldu tala um mitt mál, Fas. i. 340; mál hans stendr í miklum háska, Mar.; en þó skaltu svá um þitt mál hugsa, … at þá munt þú skamt eiga úlifat, Nj. 85; at hvárir-tveggju hafi nakkvat síns máls, Jb. 12; þat er mál Sigurðar konungs at mæla til Inga konungs, Fms. vii. 221; festi járnburð, at svá skyldi sanna mál hans, 230; honum eirir ílla ef hann hefir eigi sitt mál, Ísl. ii. 237; þá skal sá þeirra hafa sitt mál er eið vill at vinna, Grág. i. 393; Þórólfr bað Ölvi byrja mál sitt við konung, Eg. 62; at vit fáim rétt af þessu máli, 40; flytja mál sitt, Ld. 180; muntú mér verða at trúa til málanna þinna allra, Fms. xi. 104; allir er eiðsvarar erut við þetta mál, Nj. 192; eiga síðan allt mitt mál undir yðr fóstbræðrum, Fas. ii. 532; þetta mál var við Jórunni rætt, Ld. 22; þykki mér nú vandast málit, Nj. 4; svá er mál með vexti, the case is this, Lv. 43, Fas. iii. 59; var þat annat m., another affair, Nj. 256; ekki eru þau efni í um várt mál, Ld. 76; konungr átti dóm á þeirra máli, id.; ber hann upp fyrir bróður sinn málit, hann berr upp málit ok biðr Unnar, ok undra ek er þú ferr með því máli, Fas. i. 364; Austmaðrinn heldr nú á málinu við bónda Nj. 259; ef þér vilit göra málit at álitum, 3; svara þessu máli, Fms. vii. 124; miðla mál, to mediate, Íb. 12; inna stærri mála, in important cases, Nj. 2.

7. special phrases, e-t skiptir miklu, litlu … máli, to bear much or little upon a case, to be of great (small …) importance, Eg. 742, Ó. H. 31, passim: skiptir þá eigi máli, Grág. i. 43; varða máli, id.; ef honum þætti máli varða at hann næði því, Rd. 260: þú kvaddir þess kviðar er eigi átti máli at skipta um víg Auðúlfs, who had no concern with the slaying of A., Nj. 87.

C. COMPDS, máls- and mála-: máls-afglöpun, f. a false or collusive action, whereby the suit is lost, Grág. i. 494. máls-bót, f. an excuse, exculpation, Fms. vii. 207; esp. in plur., hafa sér e-ð til málsbóta, to use as an excuse. mála-efni, n. pl. a cause, its circumstances and nature, Nj. 47, Háv. 51; íll málaefni, a bad case, Fs. 41. 138, Ó. H. 150, Band. 12. máls-endi, a, m., see málsemd. máls-eyrendi, n. a discourse, Sturl. i. 140. mála-ferli, n. pl. lawsuits, litigation, Fs. 47, Eg. 644, Nj. 78, Sturl. i. 105, Fær. 109. mála-flutningr, m. the conduct of a suit, Hrafn. 17. mála-fylgjumaðr ( mála-fylgismaðr), m. a lawyer; mikill m., a great taker up of suits, Nj. 1, Bs. i. 82. máls-fylling, f. the conclusion of a case, Fb. iii. 451. máls-grein, f. a sentence, Skálda 174, 181, Bs. i. 753 ( a passage in a letter): a phrase, Stj. 79, Edda 49; partr málsgreinar = pars orationis, Skálda 180: diction, style, Edda 120. mála-háttr, m. [mál, háttr], a kind of metre, Edda 142, where a specimen is given. máls-hattr, m. a phrase, Stj. 67, 126: = málsgrein, Skálda 170: a proverb, saying, Fms. ii. 33, Fas. iii. 104, Stj. 133, passim. málshátta-safn, n. a collection of proverbs. mála-hlutr or máls-hlutr or -hluti, a, m. one side of a case or suit eiga enn þyngra málahlut, Ísl. ii. 172; þá ferr ílla m. várr ( our case), Lv. 95: a share, mun sá verða m. várr beztr, Nj. 88; nú kann vera, at ek kunna ekki at sjá málahlut til handa mér, en vilja munda ek halda sæmd minni, Sturl. i. 105. mála-kosta, u, f. a complaint, pleading in a case, Sturl. i. 613, H. E. i. 457. mála-leitan, f. a negotiation, the mooting a question, Eg. 521, Eb. 130, Fms. vii. 299, Orkn. 56. mála-lenging, f. useless prolongation. mála-lok, n. pl. the end of a case, conclusion, Eb. 106, Nj. 102, Bs. i. 68. mála-lyktir, f. pl. = málalok, Eb. 24, 36, Nj. 88, Fms. vii. 14. máls-löstr, m. bad grammar, Skálda 181. mála-maðr, m. = málafylgju-maðr, Dropl. 6, Ld. 298, Boll. 354. mála-mannligt, n. adj. like, worthy of a málamaðr, Bs. i. 751. máls-metandi, part., m. maðr, a person of mark. mála-mynd, f.; til málamyndar, only for appearance, not seriously. máls-orð, n. a word in a sentence, Edda 124, 126, 128. máls-partr, m. a part of speech, Skálda 185: a part in a suit, mod. máls-rödd, f. = málrómr, Stj. 81. mála-skil, n. pl. knowledge of proceeding. Sturl. iii. 10. mála-skot, n. an appeal in a case, K. Á. 218. mála-sóku, f. a lawsuit, prosecution, Nj. 248. máls-spell, n. a flaw in a suit, Nj. 170, Fms. x. 12. mála-sönnun, f. evidence, Mar. mála-tilbúningr or mála-tilbúnaðr, m. the preparation of a suit, Grág. i. 490, Eb. 282, Nj. 36, 100. mála-tilleitan, f. = málaleitan, Þórð. 67. mála-vöxtr, m. the state of a case, Fms. vi. 11, Al. 113, Bs. i. 67, Nj. 79. máls-þörf, f. a wish to speak, Fms. vi. 374.

n. [Ulf. mêl = χρόνος, καιρός; A. S. mâl; Engl. meal; Germ. mahl; Dan. and Swed. maal, mâl = a mark]:—a measure: hann mælti grundvöll undir húss, þat var þeirra átrúnaðr ef málit gengi saman, þá er optarr væri reynt, at þess manns ráð mundi saman ganga, ef mál-vöndrinn þyrri, en þróask ef hann vissi til mikilleiks, gékk nú málit saman ok var þrem sinnum reynt, Korm. 8; fimm álna er hátt mál hans, Fms. vi. 929; ganga undir mál, to undergo a mál (for measuring one’s height); þat sögðu menn at þeir hefði jafnmiklir menn verit, þá er þeir gengu undir mál, Ld. 178; leggja, bera mál við, to measure; hann lagði mál við öll in stærstu tré, 216; með því sama máli sem þér mælit út mun yðr verða aptr mælt, Mar.; bar hón mál á, ok þurfti þá þrjár álnar ok þver hönd, Bs. ii. 168; kunna maga mál, to know the measure of one’s stomach, Hm. 20.

2. a length of sixteen fathoms, D. N. (Fr.)

B. Temp. [Ulf. mêl = χρόνος, καιρός], a ‘meal,’ of time, i. e. a certain portion of time:

I. time, high time; skipverjum þótti mál ór hafi, Landn. 206: with infin., Vsp. 14, Hm. 111, Skm. 10, Bm. 1; mönnum væri mál at lýsa sökum sínum, Nj. 149; at mál væri at ganga at sofa, Fms. ii. 138; mælti biskup at mál væri at sofa, 139; sagði mál at ríða, Orkn. 48: adding a dat., mál er mér at ríða, Hkv. 2. 47: ok er mál at vit farim, Fær. 255; mál er at leita at hestum várum, Korm. 182; ok er allt mál at ættvíg þessi takisk af, Ld. 258; ok er nú mál at hætta, Fms. vi. 212: e-m er mál (of stools):—í mál, in due time; þóat í mál yrði borinn kviðrinn, Grág. i. 54.

2. the moment, nick of time (mál, q. v.); at hann var þar þá nótt, ok á því máli …, of an alibi, N. G. L. i. 309.

II. the meal-time, morning and evening, Edda 103; hence of cattle, missa máls, to miss the time, sheep lost or astray for a day so that they cannot be milked, Grág. ii. 230, 231; kvikfénaðr missir máls, Snót; hence málnyta. q. v.; deila mat at málum, to deal out meat at each meal, Grág. i. 149; í hvert mál, Hm. 36; í eitt mál, for one single ‘meal,’ Karl. 347, Grág. i. 293; fæða þá í tvau mál, ii. 400; í bæði mál (see i B, p. 317): at því máli = Germ. diesmahl, Korm. (in a verse); þat er ok mitt ráð þó þat sé at fyrra máli at menn snæði nokkut, Fb. ii. 676; þat vilda ek at þær æti at einu máli kýr Hálfdanar bróður míns, Ó. H. 64; ef ættak at málungi mat, if I had meat from meal to meal, Hm.

2. of the day marks; dag-mál = day-meal = 9 o’clock A. M.; and nátt-mál, night-time = 9 o’clock P. M.; í fyrra málið, to-morrow morning; eg skal koma í fyrra málið.

III. of the seasons of the year; í misseri eru mál tvau, í máli eru mánuðr þrír, Rb. 6; mál ok misseri, Hm.; sumar-mál, the time when summer sets in (middle of April), opp. to vetr-nætr, when winter sets in; hríð-mál. q. v.

COMPDS: málamatr, málamjólk, málsverðr.

n. [Ulf. mêl = γραφή and γράμμα; Hel. mâl = imago, effigies; cp. also Goth. maljan = γράφειν, whence mod. Germ. mahlerei, mahlen, = pingere]:—prop. ‘a drawing,’ but it is used in old writers only of inlaid ornaments on spear’s heads or on the hilts and guards of swords; görir Þorgrímr þar af spjót, mál vóru í, Gísl. 18; hann hafði króka-spjót í hendi haugtekit ok allgóð mál í, Ld. 78; spjót, þá fann hann blóð í málunum, Glúm. 344; stál bjartra mála, Korm. 1; gull-mál (q. v.), Þiðr. 110; stála-mál, inlaid work of steel, Ht. R. 33. For specimens of ‘mál’ see Worsaae, Nos. 325, 331; a plate with inlaid work on the outside and a Runic inscription on the inside was found in Oct. 1870 in the cairn Greenmount in Ireland, and is described by Major-General Lefroy.

COMPDS: málajárn, málasax, málaspjót, málasteinn.

1) dispenser of fate, ruler, judge;

2) bane, death (sverð heitir manns m.);

3) = mjötviðr.

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m., spelt mjotviðr, Vsp. 2, which form can only be an error of the transcriber, for both passages, verses 2 and 47, represent the same word; [A. S. metoð; Hel. metod; by which word the A. S. homilies, as well as the Heliand, denote God, prop. the ‘Meter,’ Dispenser]; the word itself is of heathen origin: in the Icel. it only occurs in old poets, and there in but a few passages, all of which agree, if rightly interpreted, with the A. S. use of the word. It occurs twice in the Vsp.; in verse 47,—Leika Míms synir, en mjötuðr kyndisk, but the meotud is kindled, lighted, where it seems to be applied to the god Heimdal, (the dawn in the Eastern sky, the morning star? see Prof. Bergmann in his Ed. of Gm. 1871, p. 169); in verse 2,—níu man ek heima, níu íviðjur, mjötuð mæran fyrir mold neðan, I mind the nine abodes, the nine giantesses (the nine mothers of Heimdal?), the worthy Dispenser beneath earth; this ‘meotud beneath earth’ seems here to represent the god of the nether world, the Pluto of the Northern mythology, with whom all things above originated (Heimdal?); somewhat similar views are expressed in the Platonic Dialogue Axiochus, ch. 12 and 13.

2. sá er hann með mönnum mjötuðr, such a guardian (helper) is he among men, Fsm.

II. metaph. and in an evil sense, weird, bane; mjtuðr is glossed by bani ( a bane), Edda (Gl.) ii. 494; mjötuðr Heimdals, the bane of Heimdal = the head; Heimdalar höfuð heitir sverð … sverð heitir manns-mjötuðr, a sword is the bane of men, Edda 55, from a myth that Heimdal was pierced by a head (used as a bolt): nema mjötuðr spilti, unless death spoiled her, unless she died, Og. 14; ef mér meirr m. málrúm gæfi, if death would give me more time for speech (says the dying Brynhild), Skv. 3. 71; sá manns mjötuðr, this bane of men, of a charmed, poisoned sword, Fas. i. (in a verse). The word is found only in the above passages; the explanation given in Lex. Poët. can hardly be the true one. For Hm. 60 see mjöt above.

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(segi, sagða, sagðr), v.

1) to say, tell (seg þú mér þat, er ek spyr þik);

þeir sögðu, at þeir skyldu aldri upp gefast, they said they would never yield;

segja e-m leið, to tell the way, esp. on the sea, to pilot;

segja tíðendi, to tell news;

impers. it is told (hér segir frá Birni bunu);

sem áðr sagði, as was told before;

segjanda er allt vin sínum, all can be told to a friend;

2) to say, declare, in an oath;

ek segi þat guði (Æsi), I declare to God (to the ‘Áss’);

3) law phrases;

segja sik í þing, lög, to declare oneself member of a community;

segja sik ór þingi, lögum, to declare oneself out of, withdraw from, a community;

segja skilit við konu, to declare oneself separated from, divorce, one’s wife;

segja fram sök, to declare one’s case;

segja lög, to recite the law, of the lögsögumaðr;

4) to signify, mean (þetta segir svá);

5) with preps., segja e-n af e-u, to declare one off a thing, take it from him;

segja e-t á e-n, to impose on (bœta at þeim hluta, sem lög segði á hann); to announce (segja á reiði, úsátt sína);

segja eptir e-m, to tell tales of one;

segja frá e-u, to tell, relate;

Unnr, er ek sagða þér frá, U. of whom I told thee;

segja fyrir e-u, to prescribe (svá var með öllu farit, sem hann hafði fyrir sagt);

segja fyrir skipi, to bid God-speed to a ship;

segja e-t fyrir, to predict, foretell (segja fyrir úorðna hluti);

segja e-u sundr, í sundr, to break up, dissolve (segja sundr friði, frændsemi, hjúskap);

segja til e-s, to tell, inform of (segit honum ekki til, hvat þér hafit gört við hrossit);

segja til nafns síns, segja til sín, to tell (give) one’s name;

segja upp e-t, to pronounce (segja upp dóm, gørð);

segja upp lög, to proclaim the law (from the law-hill);

segja e-n upp, to give one up;

segja upp e-u, to declare at an end (segja upp friði, griðum);

segja upp þjónustu við e-n, to leave one’s service;

6) refl., segjast, to declare of oneself;

hann sagðist þá vaka, he said that he was awake;

kristnir menn ok heiðnir sögðust hvárir ór lögum annarra, they declared themselves each out of the other’s laws;

láta (sér) segjast, to let oneself be spoken to, listen to reason;

impers., e-m segist svá, one’s tale runs so.

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pres. segi, segir, segi, pl. segjum, segit, segja; pret. sagði, pl. sögðu; pres. subj. segja; pret. segða, segðir, segði; imperat. seg, segðú; part. sagðr: doubtful forms are sagat, sagaðr, Merl. 2. 4: a pres. indic. seg, segr, ek seg, Grág. i. 64, 134; segr hann, Fms. x. 421; segsk, Grág.i. 159, ii. 57: with a neg. suff. segr-at, Grág. ii. 214; sagðit, Hým. 14; segit-a, tell ye not! Vkv. 21: an older form seggja with a double g is suggested in Lex. Poët. in two or three passages, cp. A. S. secgan, as also seggr; but in Haustl. l. c. the g in ‘sagna’ is soft, and not hard (gg) as in mod. Icel. pronunciation, and sagna would fairly rhyme with segjaandum: [a word common to all Teut. languages, except that, strangely enough, no Goth. form is recorded, for Ulf. renders λαλειν, λέγειν, εἰπειν, by maþljan, quiþan, rodjan; so it may be that the earliest sense was not to say = Lat. dicere, but a limited one, to tell, proclaim; A. S. secgan; Engl. say; Dan. sige; Swed. segja.]

A. To say, in the oldest poems chiefly,

I. to tell, report, Lat. narrare, dicere; segðu, imperat. tell thou me! say! Vþm. 11, 13, 15. 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, Alm. 10, 12, 14, 16. etc., Skm. 3; segðu mér ór helju ek man ór heimi, Vtkv. 6; atgeirinn sagði ( foretold) manns bana, eins eðr fleiri, Nj. 119; mér segir svá hugr um, my mind tells me, I have a foreboding; eigi segir mér vel hugr um þessa ferð, Ld. 366; sagði honum mjök úvænt hugr um hennar hag, Fms. x. 215; sagðit honum hugr vel þá, Hým. 14; seg oss draum þinn, Nj. 95; hann segir honum greiniliga slíkt er hann spurði, Fms. ii. 99; þessi saga er nú ætlu vér at segja, viii. 1 (see saga); hann spurði hvers synir þeir væri,—þeir sögðu, Nj. 125; fór sveinninn ok sagði til Haralds, Fms. vii. 167; hvat hark var þat?—Honum var sagt, 168; svá hafa spakir menn sagt, Ib. 6; svá sagði Þorkell oss, 5; svá sagði Teitr oss, id.; svá sagði oss Úlfhéðinn Gunnarsson, 9; þenna atburð sagði Teitr oss, at því es Kristni kom á Ísland, 13; en Hallr sagði oss svá, 15; svá sagði hann oss, id.; en honum sagði Þórarinn bróðir hans, 16; es sannliga es sagt, at fyrst færi til Íslands, 4; hvatki er missagt es í fræðum þessum (pref.); þar sagði hann eigi koma dag á vetr, Landn. (pref.); svá segja vitrir menn, … en svá er sagt, 25; svá sagði Sæmundr prestr enn fróði, 27; er svá sagt, at honum hafi flestir hlutir höfðingligast gefnir verit, Nj. 254: of inscriptions, writing, segja þær (the Runes) formála þenna allan, Eg. 390; segja bækr, at …, 625. 88; skal sú skrá hafa sitt mál, er lengra segir, Grág. i. 7: segja leið, to tell the way, to guide, esp. on the sea, to pilot, Fms. xi. 123, Eg. 359 (leið-sögn, leiðsögu-maðr):—to tell, bid, far þú ok seg Agli, at þeir búisk þaðan fimmtán, Nj. 94; hann sendi húskarl at segja Steinari, at hann færði bústað sinn, to tell S. to change his abode, Eg. 749; segðu honum að koma, tell him to come!

2. with prepp.; segja eptir e-m, to tell tales of one, inform against, Al. 125; hann sagði eptir mér, segðu ekki eptir mér!—s. frá e-u (frá-sögn), to tell, relate, Nj. 96; þar er hón nú, Unnr, er ek sagða þér frá, U., of whom I told thee, 3; eigi má ofsögum segja frá vitsmunum þínum, Ld. 132: s. fyrir, to dictate, Fms. vii. 226, Fb. iii. 533, Nj. 256: to foretel, Rb. 332; s. fyrir úorðna hluti, Fms. i. 76, viii. 5: segja fyrir skipi, to bid Godspeed to a ship (on her first voyage), ix. 480: to prescribe, Ld. 54; þeir sigldu um nóttina, en hann sagði fyrir ( piloted) með viti ok gæfu, Bs. i. 562: s. manni fyrir jörðu, to give notice as to the redemption of an estate, Gþl. 295–297, 301 sqq.:—segja til, to give up; s. til nafns sins, to give one’s name (on being asked), Hbl.; hvat er nafn höfðingja yðvars? Rútr segir til sin. R. told his name (said, my name is R.) Nj. 8; sagði Örnólfr til svá-felldra itaka, Dipl. i. 1; skal ek hér fá þér sæmd ok virðing, þá er þú kannt mér sjálfr til s., Eg. 312.

3. impers. it is told: hér hefsk Landnáma-bok, ok segir í hinum fyrsta kapitula, hversn, Landn. 24: hér segir frá Birni bunu, 39; segir nokkut af hans orrostum, Fms. viii. 3; sem segir í sögu hans, i. 4 (see saga); sem áðr sagði, … sem sagði fyrr, as was told before, x. 382, 410.

II. to say, pronounce, declare; eg seg þat Guði, I declare to God (in an oath, cp. Engl. ‘so help me, God’), Grág. i. 64, 134; ok segi ek þat Æsi, Glúm. 388.

2. so in the law phrases, segja sik í þing, lög, and the like, to declare oneself in a community, to enter a community under the law; as also, segja sik ór þingi, lögum, to declare oneself out of, to withdraw from, a community, Grág. and the Sagas passim; segja skilit við konu, to declare oneself separated from, to divorce one’s wife, Nj. 50; segja þing laust, to declare a meeting at an end, Grág, i. 116:—segja lög, to say the law, used of the speaker’s (lögsögu-maðr) decisions; syni Erlings segi ek engi lög, i. e. I give no sentence for him, Fms. ix. 331: iron., sögðu sverð þeirra ein lög öllum Svíum, ii. 315; s. prófan (á) málum, K. Á. 216; s. dóm, to give sentence.

3. with prepp.; s. e-n af e-n, to ‘declare a person off a thing,’ i. e. take it from him; hann sagði Vastes af drottningar-dómi ok öllu því ríki, Sks. 462; þá er hann þegar sagðr af lærðra manna tign, 694; skipta svá miklum ríkdómi, ok segja hann af einhverjum ok til annars, i. e. to take it from one and give it to another, Fms. ix. 330; þann dag segja lög mann at aptni af griði, Grág. i. 146; s. e-n afhendan, to declare a person off one’s hands, give him up, Fs. 34:—s. e-t á, to announce:þú skalt segja á reiði mína, Nj. 216; s. á úsátt sína, 256; bæta at þeim hluta sem lög segði á hann, as the law declared, imposed, Fms. x. 152:—s. aptr, to break up, dissolve; s. friði aptr, N. G. L. i. 103:—segja sundr = segja aptr, s. sundr griðum, frændsemi, Fms. ix. 276, x. 133, Fas. ii. 136:—s. fram, to say, pronounce, esp. of pleading, to read; s. fram sök and the like, Grág., Nj. passim:—s. fyrir, see l. 2:—s. upp, to pronounce; er hann hafði þenna kost upp sagðan, Fms. xi. 284: segja upp görð, dóm, sætt, to pronounce sentence, as a judge or umpire, Grág., Nj. Band. 12, passim; s. upp lög, to proclaim the law from the law-hill (the act was called upp-saga), Ib. 17, Bs. i. 25; at hann segði upp lögin, Nj. 164: s. e-n upp, to give one up, Sturl. iii. 181 C: segja e-u upp, to declare at an end; segja upp friði, griðum, Fms. x. 133; segja upp þjónustu við e-n, to leave one’s service, Hkr. iii. 68. to speak, talk; skaut konungr á erendi, talaði hátt ok hvellt ok segir svá—þat er …, Fms. i. 215; ‘þenna kost viljum vér,’ segir Skapti, Nj. 150; ‘frauva,’ segir hann, ‘þat er satt er þú mælir,’ Fms. x. 421. 2. in a dialogue: segir hann, segir hón, says he, says she, etc.; ‘Kenni ek víst,’ segir Otkell,—‘Hverr á,’ segir Skamkell; ‘Melkólfr þræll,’ segir Otkell,—‘Kenna skulu þá fleiri,’ segir Skamkell, ‘en vit tveir,’ 75; Gunnarr mælti—‘Veiztú hvat þér mun verða at bana?’—‘Veit ek,’ segir Njáll,—‘Hvat?’ segir Gunnarr;—‘Þat sem allir munn sízt ætla,’ segir Njáll, 85; and so in countless instances.

IV. to signify, mean; þetta segir svá, Fms. viii. 239; ‘fiat voluntas tua,’ þat segir svá, ‘verði þinn vili,’ Hom. 157.

B. Reflex. to declare of oneself; hann sagðisk þá vaka, he said that he was awake, Nj. 153; sagðisk Haraldr vilja leggja við hann vináttu, Fms. i. 53; þeir sem sögðusk segja fyrir úvorðna hluti, 76; at þú sér annarr en þú segisk, Fas. ii. 544, freq. esp. in mod. usage, for the old writers in this case prefer kveðsk, káðusk (from kveða).

II. as a law phrase, þú segsk í þing með Áskatli goða, Nj. 231; maðr skal segjask í þing með goða þeim er hann vill, Grág. i. 159; nefndu hvárir vátta, Kristnir menn ok heiðnir, ok sögðusk hvárir ór lögum annarra, Nj. 164 (Id. 11, Bs. i. 22); hón sagðisk í ætt sína, she told her origin, i. e. she was exactly like her parents, Njarð. 382: impers. phrase, e-m segisk svá, one’s tale runs so; honum sagðisk svá til, his story runs; or, honum segist vel, he speaks well; honum sagðist vél í dag, he preached well to-day! það segist á e-u, there is a penalty on it, ‘tis not allowed; láta sér segjask. to let oneself be spoken to, be reasonable, Am. 29, and in mod. usage.

III. part., sönnu sagðr, convicted of, Sdm. 25; Jupiter vill vita hvárt hann er sönnu sagðr, if the charge is true, Bret. 12: gerund., in the saying, segjanda er allt vin sínum, all can be said to a friend, one can open one’s, heart to him. Eg. 330.

IV. pass. it is said; svá segisk, at …, Fms. i. 98; þessi kvikendi segjask augnafull umhverfis, Hom. 48; hann segisk ( is said to be, Lat. dicitur) skapaðr ór jörðn, Eluc. 21; segist í hverri viku sálu-messa, Dipl. i. 8; Zabulon, þat má hér segjast bygging, Stj.; ef nokkut riptist eðr af segðist, Dipl. iii. 11; segist þetta með öngu móti aptr, cannot be refuted, Fms. ix. 476, Hom. 154; af sögðum bæjum, aforesaid, Vm. 84; fyrr-sagðr, aforesaid; but this passive is unclassical, being taken from the Latin, and rare even in mod. usage.

V. segendr, part. pl. (seggendr, with a double g. Haustl.), sayers, reporters; sjáendr eða segendr, Grág. ii. 88. segjands-saga, u, f. a hearsay tale; skoluð ér hér vera ok sjá þau tíðendi er hér görask, er yðr þá eigi segjanz-saga til, þvíat ér skolut frá segja ok yrkja um síðan, Ó. H. 206; hence the mod. það er segin saga, a told tale, a thing of course [cp. Fr. ca va sans dire].