a vow

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1) solemn promise, vow; efla (stofna, festa) heit, to make a vow; strengja e-s heit, to make a solemn vow;

2) pl. threats (hann stóð undir heitum ok illyrðum).

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n. a solemn promise, vow; munu yðr heit hans öll föst, Eg. 28, Þorst. St. 55; efnt þykkisk þú hafa heit þín, en nú eru eptir mín heit, Nj. 59; en í engum heitum ( engagement) vil ek bindask, Ó. H. 32: in sing. a vow, holy vow, kvað engan hlut batna munu við þat heit, Rd. 248; er honum þótti sem þegit mundi heitið, Glúm. 348; efla heit, to make a vow, Gísl. 90; stofna heit, id., Fms. ii. 16, Sturl. i. 222; festa heit, id., Bs. i. 184: but esp., strengja heit, to make a solemn vow (in the heathen time, whence heit-strenging), Fs. 122, Ísl. ii. 166, Fms. i. 3, xi. 26, Fb. ii. 353, Hrafn. 5; enda heit sitt, Fb. ii. 371: eccl. a vow, offra Drottni heit sín, Stj. 429; heit öll ok testamenta, K. Á. 216: a promise (in marriage), hann bað konunnar ok fékk heitið hennar, Edda 23; bregða föstu heiti, to break a promise, Alm. 5.

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1) solemn promise, vow; efla (stofna, festa) heit, to make a vow; strengja e-s heit, to make a solemn vow;

2) pl. threats (hann stóð undir heitum ok illyrðum).

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n. pl. [cp. Ulf. wota = ἀπειλή], threatening words or gestures, threats, Lat. minae; standa undir heitum ok íllyrðum, Bs. i. 728; heit ok harðyrði, Barl. 194; köld heit, Edda (Ht.); þeirra heit dvínuðu, Edda (in a verse); af heitum, from his threatening gestures, Am. 19.

(heit; hét, hétum; heitinn), v.

1) to call give a name to;

Grímni mik hétu, they called me G.;

heitinn eptir e-m, called (named) after one;

2) to call on one;

heita e-n á brott, to call on one to be gone, bid one go (heitit mik héðan);

heita á e-n, to exhort one (in battle);

to invoke (heita á hinn heilaga Ólaf);

heita á e-n til e-s, to invoke (appeal to) one for a thing (hann hét á Þór til fulltings);

3) intrans., the pres. ‘heiti’ (not ‘heit’), to be hight, be called;

Óðinn ek, nú heiti, now I am called Odin;

Ólafr heiti ek, my name is O.;

Úlfr hét maðr, there was a man, whose name was U.;

bœr heitir á Bakka (at búrfelli), there is a farm called B.;

heita (to be reckoned) frjáls maðr, hvers manns níðingr;

4) with dat. to promise (heita e-m e-u);

mantu, hverju þú hézt mér, do you remember what you promised me?

heita e-m hörðu, to threaten one;

Bárði var heitit meyjunni, the maid was promised to B.;

5) refl., heitast, to vow, plight one’s faith (þeir hétust reka Hákon ór landi);

heitast e-m, to vow one’s person to one (heitast hinum heilaga Ólafi konungi);

to be betrothed to one.

(heitta, heittr), v.

1) to heat (heita spjót í eldi);

2) to brew (heita mungát, heita öl).

f. brewing (cf. ölheita).

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pres. heit, heitr, and in A. II. heiti, heitir (bisyllabic), in mod. usage heiti through all significations; pret. hét, hétu, 2nd pers. hézt; part. heitinn.

A. [Ulf. haitan = καλειν; A. S. hâtan; Old Engl. hight, pret. hot; O. H. G. haizan; Germ. heissen; Swed. heta; Dan. hede]:

I. trans. with acc. to call, give name to; hve þik hétu hjú? Fsm. 47; Urð hétu eina, Vsp. 20; Heiði hana hétu, 25; Grímni mik hétu, Gm. 49; hve þik heitir halr, Hkv. Hjörv. 14; Hnikar hétu mik, Skv. 2. 18; hétu Þræl, Rm. 8; hétu Erna (Ernu?), 36: the naming of infants was in the heathen age accompanied by a kind of baptism (ausa vatni), vide ausa, p. 35.

2. metaph. to call on one; in the phrase, heita e-n á brott, to turn one out, call on one to be gone; þá er maðr á brott heitinn ef honum er eigi deildr matr at málum, Grág. i. 149; Vermundr hét hann á brott ok kvað hann eigi þar lengr vera skyldu, Sturl. ii. 230; so also, ef bóndi heitr griðmann sinn af vist foráttalaust, Grág. i. 157; eða heitið mik héðan, Ls. 7; ek var heitinn út ( turned out) fjórum sinnum, Sighvat:—with prep., heita á e-n, to call upon one (for help); hón hét á konur at skilja þá, Landn. 49: to exhort one (in battle), hét á Hólmrygi, Hkm. 2; Úlfr hét á oss, Hkr. iii. (in a verse); Gísli spratt upp skjótt ok heitr á menn sína, at skýli, Gísl. 22: to invoke one (a god, saint), hann trúði á Krist, en hét á Þór til sjófara ok harðræða, Landn. 206; hann heitr nú á fulltrúa sína Þorgerði ok Irpu, Fb. i. 213; ef ek heit á guð minn, Mar.; á Guð skal heita til góðra hluta, Sól. 4.

3. part. pass. hight, called; sú gjöf var heitin gulli betri, Ad. 9; löskr mun hann æ heitinn, Am. 57, Fms. vi. 39 (in a verse); sá maðr mun eigi ílla heitinn ( will not get a bad report) í atferð sinni, Sks. 55 new Ed.

β. heitinn, the late, of one dead; eptir Odd heitinn föður sinn, Dipl. iv. 13; Salgerðr h., the late S., Vm. 37: very freq. in mod. usage, hann Jón heitinn, hún Guðrún heitin, etc.

II. absol. or intrans., in which case pres. bisyllabic heiti (not heit), to be hight, be called, as in Goth. the pass. of haitan; Andvari ek heiti, A. am í hight, Skv. 2. 2; Ólafr heiti ek, Fms. x. 226; ek heiti Ari, Íb. (fine); Jósu vatni, Jarl létu heita, Rm. 31; Óðinn ek nú heiti, Yggr ek áðan hét, Gm. 54; Gangráðr ek heiti, Vþm. 8; Ask veit ek standa, heitir Yggdrasill, Vsp. 19: esp. freq. in an hist. style in introducing a person for the first time, Mörðr hét maðr, hann átti dóttur eina er Unnr hét, móðir hennar hét Þorgerðr, Rútr hét bróðir hans, Nj. 1, 2; þau áttu eptir dóttur er Þuríðr hét, hinn elzti son Bjarnar hét Grímkell, Ísl. ii. 4; Oddr hét maðr, son Önundar breiðskeggs, hann átti þá konu er Jórunn hét; annarr son þeirra hét Þóroddr en annarr Þorvaldr, Þuriðr hét dóttir Odds en önnur Jófriðr, 121, 122; Þorsteinn hét maðr, hann var Egilsson, en Ásgerðr hét móðir Þorsteins, 189; þau gátu son, ok var vatni ausinn ok hét Þórólfr, 146, etc.; and in endless instances answering to Engl. there was a man, and his name was ( he was hight) so and so. The ancients said, hve (or hversu) heitir þú, ‘how’ art thou named? Germ. wie heisst du? thus, hve þú heitir? hve þik kalla konir? answer, Atli ek heiti, and hve þú heitir, hála nágráðug? Hrímgerðr ek heiti, Hkv. Hjörv. 14–17; hve sú jörð heitir, hve sá himinn heitir, hversu máni heitir, hve sjá sól heitir, etc., Alm. 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, Vþm. 11, 13, 15, 17; the northern Icelanders still say, hvers’ (i. e. hversu) heitir maðrinn, sælir verið þér, hvörs’ heitir maðrinn? answer, Hrólfr heitir hann, Asgrímsson að norðan, Sig. Pétr. in Hrólfr (a play), p. 4: in mod. usage, hvat ( what) heitir þú? hvað heitir þú? Eg heiti Jón, Stef. Ól.: the same phrase occurs now and then in old writers, hvat heitir bær sjá? Ld. 234; hvat heitir hón? Helga heitir hón, Ísl. ii. 201 (Cod. Holm. hvart = hversu?): as also in the poem Fsm. (but only preserved in paper MSS.) 9, 11, 13, 19, 23, 31, 35, 37; but hve, 46, 47.

β. of places, often with dat. and prep. of the place; á þeim bæ er á Brjámslæk heitir, Bs. i. 379; land pat er í Hvammi heitir, Gísl. 121; bær hans hét á Stokkum, Fb. iii. 324; á þeim bæ er at Hóli heitir, Hrafn. 5; ok því heitir þat síðan í Geitdal, 3; bær heitir á Bakka, á Meðalhúsum, at Búrfelli, á Auðúlfsstöðum, at Svínavatni, í Vestrhópi, í Sléttadal, Ísl. ii. 322–325.

2. to be called, reckoned so and so; þá heitir hón sönn at sök, then she stands convicted, N. G. L. i. 351; þú skalt frá þessum degi frjáls maðr heita, Ld. 50; heit hvers manns níðingr ella, Nj. 176; heldr en h. kotkarl, eigi er þat nafn fyrir-lítanda, at heita húskarlar konungs, Sks. 270; sá er vill heitinn horskr, Hm. 61.

3. reflex., hétomc, to name oneself or to be called; hétomc Grímnir, hétomc Gangleri, einu nafni hétomc aldregi, hétomc Þundr fyrir þat, Gm. 46, 48, 54.

B. With dat., [cp. Goth. fauraga heitan; A. S. hâtan, pret. het; Germ. verheissen]:—to promise, with dat. both of the person and thing, or the thing in infin., or absol.; heita hörðu, to threaten, Am. 78; h. góðu, Sól.; h. bölvi, Hdl. 49; afarkostum, Fms. i. 75; hann heitr þeim þar í mót fornum lögum, Ó. H. 35; engu heit ek um þat, 167; mantú nokkut hverju þú hézt mér í fyrra, Anal. 190; at lítið mark sé at, hverju þú heitr, Fms. vii. 120; fyrir þau hin fögru fyrirheit er þú hézt þeim manni, er bana-maðr hans yrði—þat skal ek efna sem ek hét þar um, i. 217; kom Þorsteinn þar, sem hann hafði heitið, as he had promised, 72; þú munt göra okkr slíka sæmd sem þú hefir heitið, Nj. 5; Njáll hét at fara, 49.

II. to make a vow, the vow in dat., the god or person invoked with prep. and acc. (h. á e-n), cp. A. above; þat sýndisk mönnum ráð á samkomunni, at h. til verðr-bata, en um þat urðu menn varla ásáttir hverju heita skyldi, vill Ljótr því láta h. at gefa til hofs, en bera út börn en drepa gamal-menni, Rd. 248; þá heitr Ingimundr prestr at bóka-kista hans skyldi á land koma ok bækr, Bs. i. 424; ok skyldu menn taka at heita, þeir hétu at gefa …, 483; hét Haraldr því til sigrs sér, at hann skyldi taka skírn, Fms. i. 107; eptir þat hét hón miklum fégjöfum á hinn helga Jón biskup, Bs. i. 201 and passim, esp. in the Miracle-books.

III. reflex. and pass. to plight oneself, be betrothed; þá sá hón þat at ráði ok með henni vinir hennar at heitask Þórólfi, Eg. 36; þeim hétumk þá þjóðkonungi, Skv. 3. 36: to betroth, varkat ek heima þá er (hón) þér heitin var, when she (the bride) was given to thee, Alm. 4; kom svá, at Bárði var heitið meyjunni, that the maid was betrothed to B., Eg. 26.

2. to vow, plight one’s faith; þeir hétusk reka Hákon ór landi, Jd.: to vow one’s person to one, at hann heitisk hinum heilaga Ólafi konungi, Hkr. iii. 288: to bind oneself, þá menn er honum höfðu heitisk til föruneytis, Fms. vii. 204.

(-da, -dr), v. to fasten with a string, bind tight (hosan strengd at beini); hann strengdi alt í milli skipanna ok bryggnanna, he stretched cables between the ships and the bridges; s. or s. aptr dyrr, to fasten the door; s. e-n inni or úti, to shut one in or out; s. heit or s. e-s heit, to make a solemn vow.

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ð, [strengr], to string, fasten with a string, to bind tight; hosan strengd at beini, Eg. 602; sterkliga saman strengt, Stj. 12; strengdr niðr í kistuna, Pr. 412; s. aptr dyr, kirkju, hlið, port, to fasten the door, Grett. 159, Bs. ii. 76, Mar.; s. e-n inni or úti, to shut one in or out, Karl. 152, Stj. 40; þeir létu búa um akkeri, ok strengja um viðu, Fms. viii. 113; hann strengdi allt í milli skipanna ok bryggnanna, stretched cables between the ships and the bridges, 121; steinninn á sleða settr ok ramliga strengdr, Mar.

2. the phrase, strengja heit, or s. e-s heit, to ‘fasten a vow,’ make a solemn vow, Fs. 122, Hrafn. 5, Fms. i. 3, xi. 26, 109–112, Fb. ii. 353, Ísl. ii. 166; see heit, heit-strenging.

1) poetry, = skáldskapr;

2) the best, foremost (Ása bragr = Thor; bragr kvenna); most eloquent.

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ar, m. [akin to bragð, braga, bragi, etc.]

I. best, foremost; b. kvenna, best of women, Skv. 2. 15; Ása b., best of Ases, Skm. 34; b. karla eðr kvenna, Edda 17: only used in poetry or poët. language, cp. the A. S. brego ( princeps) Egypta, Norðmanna, Israelita, Gumena, Engla, etc.:—hence the compd bragar-full or braga-full, n. a toasting cup, to be drunk esp. at funeral feasts; it seems properly to mean the king’s toast (cp. Bragi = princeps), i. e. the toast in the memory of the deceased king or earl, which was to be drunk first; the heir to the throne rose to drink this toast, and while doing so put his feet on the footstool of his seat and made a solemn vow (stíga á stokk ok strengja heit); he then for the first time took his father’s seat, and the other guests in their turn made similar vows. For a graphic description of this heathen sacred custom, vide Yngl. S. Hkr. i. 49, Hervar. S. Fas. i. 417 and 515, Hkv. Hjörv. 32, Ragn. S. Fas. i. 345. It is likely that the b. was mostly used at funeral banquets, though the passages in the Ragn. and Hervar. S. (cp. also Hænsaþ. S. ch. 12) seem to imply its use at other festivals, as weddings; cp. also the description of the funeral banquet, Hkr. i. 231, where ‘minni hans’ ( the toast of the dead king) answers to bragarfull; cp. also the funeral banquet recorded in Jómsvik. S., where the Danish king Sweyn made the vow ‘at bragarfulli’ to conquer England within three winters. This is said to have been the prelude to the great Danish invasion A. D. 994, Fagrsk. 44, and Hkr. to l. c. The best MSS. prefer the reading bragar- (from bragr, princeps), not braga-.

II. nearly like Lat. mos, a fashion, habit of life, in compds as, bæjar-bragr, heimilis-bragr, híbýla-bragr, house life; sveitar-bragr, country life; bónda-bragr, yeoman life; héraðs-bragr, lands-bragr, etc. Icel. say good or bad bæjarbragr, Bb. I. 15.

III. poetry; gefr hann (viz. Odin) brag skáldum, Hdl. 5, Edda 17: in mod. usage chiefly melody or metre.

COMPDS: bragarbót, bragarfræði, bragarlaun, bragarmál.

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(-da, -dr), v.

1) to strengthen structurally, to reinforce (efla veggi);

létu þeir efla at nýju Danavirki, they restored the Danish wall;

2) to found, raise (efla stað, kirkju);

efla her (lið) á hendr e-m, to raise troops against one;

efla e-n, to support, aid (efldi Dofri hann síðan til ríkis í Noregi);

efla e-n til rangs máls, to help one in an unjust cause;

3) to perform;

efla heit, to make a vow;

efla at brullaupi, to hold a wedding;

4) to be able (sem vér eflum ok orkum);

5) refl., eflast.

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d, [afl and afli], to strengthen:

I. act.,

α. to make strong, build; efla veggi, to build walls, 655 xxv. i; létu þeir efla at nýju Danavirki, they restored the Danish wall, Fms. i. 121.

β. to found, raise, endow; efla stað, kirkju, to endow or raise a church, bishopric, Barl. 65, Fms. iv. 110; e. bú, to set up one’s house, Band. (MS.) 3: milit., e. her, lið, to raise troops. Fms. v. 279; e. flokk, to raise a party, 140; e. ófrið, to raise a rebellion, make war, xi. 268: e. e-n, to aid, side with one, in a fight or lawsuit; efldi Dofri hann síðan til ríkis í Noregi, Bárð. 164; ok hét honum liðveizlu sinni at hann skyldi e. Steinar, Eg. 722: e. e-n til rangs máls, to help one in a wrong case, Js. 8; Danir höfðu þá herrana eflt upp á Svíaríki, Fms. x. 50; bað liðit e. sik, Fagrsk. ch. 179.

γ. to perform solemnly; e. heit, to make a vow, Gísl. 90; e. blót, to perform a sacrifice, Nj. 158; e. at brullaupi, to hold a wedding, Fms. ix. 21: poët., e. dáð (dáð eflir, a hero); e. tafl, to play a game, Orkn. (in a verse), Lex. Poët.

δ. neut. to be able; sem vér eflum ok orkum, Stj. 149; sem þú eflir ok orkar, id., 186, (rare.)

II. reflex. to grow strong; hversu staðrinn hefir eflzk ok magnask. Bs. i. 59; hann fann at mótstüðumenn hans efldusk, grew strong; eflask at her, liði, to gather, raise troops, Gísl. 7, Fms. i. 199, vii. 23; síðan var efldr ( raised) flokkr í móti honum, iv. 140: eflask til ríkis, to win a kingdom, get a kingdom by force of arms, Bárð. 165: erlask við e-n (poët.) = mægjask, to marry into one’s family, Hdl. 15.

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(-da, -dr), v.

1) to fell, make fall; fella víð, to fell timber; fella segl, to take down sails;

2) to kill, slay (in battle); fella e-n frá landi, to slay or dethrone (a king); fella fénað sinn, to lose one’s sheep or cattle from cold or hunger;

3) to cause to cease, abolish (fella blót ok blótdrykkjur); fella rœðu sína, to close one’s speech; fella niðr, to put an end to, abandon, give up (fella niðr þann átrúnað);

4) fella heitstrenging á sik, to bring down on one’s head the curse of a broken vow;

5) to tongue and groove, to fit; fella stokk á horn, to put a board on the horns of a savage bull;

6) fig., fella ást (hug) til e-s, to turn one’s mind (love) towards one, to fall in love with; fella bœn at e-m, to address prayer to one, to beg of one; fella sik við e-t, to fit oneself to a thing: fella sik mjök við umrœðuna, to take a warm parl in the debate.

1) framework, a framed board;

2) mouse-trap.

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d, a weak causal verb, answering to the strong neuter form falla; [absent in Goth.; A. S. fellan; Engl. fell; Germ. fällen; O. H. G. fallian; Swed. fälla; Dan. fælde.]

A. [Answering to falla A], to fell, make fall; fella við, to fell timber, Fms. ii. 84; fella mann, to fell a man, defined in the law, Grág. Vsl. ch. 3, cp. ch. 31; fella tár, to let tears fall, Sighvat; fella mel-dropa, to let the drops fall, Vþm. 14; fella segl, to take down sails, Bárð. 14; fella jörð undir e-m, to make the earth slip under one (by means of sorcery), Bs. i. 12; fella vatn í fornan farveg, to make the stream flow in its old bed, Grág. ii. 281.

2. to fell or slay, in battle, Eg. 80, 296, 495; Bróðir felldi Brján, Nj. 275; fella e-n frá landi, to slay or dethrone a king; hann hafði fellt hinn helga Ólaf konung frá landi, Orkn. 82; var felldr frá landi Haraldr Gráfeldr, H. Graycloak was slain, Fær. 38; síðan felldu þeir frá landi Hákon bróður minn, Fms. viii. 241, v. l.; fella her, val, etc., to make havoc, slaughter, (val-fall, strages), Lex. Poët.

β. to lose sheep or cattle from cold or hunger (v. fellir); var vetr mikill ok felldu menn mjök fé sitt, Sturl. iii. 297.

II. to make to cease, abolish; hann felldi blót ok blótdrykkjur, Fms. x. 393; f. niðr, to drop, put an end to, abandon; var hans villa svá niðr felld, Anecd. 98; þat felldi hann allt niðr, Fms. vii. 158; ef þú fellir niðr ( gives up) þann átrúnað, ii. 88: to drop a prosecution, a law term, at konungr mundi þetta mál ekki niðr fella, vii. 127 (cp. niðr-fall at sökum); fella ræðu sína, to close one’s speech, ix. 331; þar skal niðr f. þrjá-tigi nátta, there shall [ they] let drop thirty nights, i. e. thirty nights shall not be counted, Rb. 57; fella boð, f. herör, to drop the message, not let the arrow pass, N. G. L. i. 55, Gþl. 83 (vide boð, p. 71); fella skjót, to fail in supplying a vehicle, K. Á. 22.

2. to lower, diminish; fella rétt manns, fella konungs sakar-eyri, Gþl. 185; hann skal fella hálfri mörk, [ they] shall lower it, i. e. the value shall be lowered by half a mark, Grág. ii. 180.

3. the phrases, fella heitstrenging (eið) á sik, to bring down on one’s head the curse for a breach of faith (vow, oath, etc.), Hrafn. 8.

4. fella hold af, to starve so that the flesh falls away, K. Á. 200, K. Þ. K. 130; hence fella af, absol. ellipt. to become lean, starved; cp. af-feldr: the phrase, f. blótspán, q. v., p. 71; fella dóm, to pass sentence, is mod., borrowed from Germ.

B. [Answering to falla B], to join, fit:

I. a joiner’s term, to frame, tongue and groove; fella innan kofann allan ok þilja, Bs. i. 194; felld súð, a framed board, wainscot, Fms. vi. (in a verse), hence fellisúð; fella stokk á horn, to put a board on the horns of a savage bull, Eb. 324; eru fastir viðir saman negldir, þó eigi sé vel felldir, the boards are fast when nailed together, they are not tongued and grooved, Skálda 192 (felling); fella stein í skörð, to fit a stone to the crevice, Róm. 247: metaph., fella lok á e-t, to bring to an end, prop. to fit a cover to it, Grág. i. 67: also a blacksmith’s term, fella járn, to work iron into bars, Þiðr. 79.

II. metaph. in the phrases, fella ást, hug, skilning, etc., til e-s, to turn one’s love, mind, etc., towards one; fellim várn skilning til einskis af öllum þeim, Stj. 4; Geirmundr felldi hug til Þuríðar, G. fell in love with Th., Ld. 114; Þórðr bar eigi auðnu til at fellasvá mikla ást til Helgu, sem vera átti, i. e. they did not agree, Sturl. i. 194; fella bæn at e-m, to apply prayer to one, beg of him, Ísl. ii. 481; fella sik við e-t, to fit oneself to a thing; ek hefi byrjað þitt erindi, ok allan mik við fellt, and have done my best, 655 xxxii. 13; felldi Þorkell sik mjök við umræðuna, Th. took a warm part in the debate, Ld. 322; hence such phrases as, fella sig (eigi) við e-t, to take pleasure (or not) in a thing; fella saman orð sín, to make one’s words agree, Grág. i. 53: to appropriate, fellir hann með því dalinn sér til vistar, Sd. 137.

III. part. felldr, as adj. = fallinn; svá felldr, so fitted, such; með svá felldum máta, in such a way, Rb. 248; vera vel (illa etc.) felldr til e-s, to be well ( ill) fitted for a thing, Fms. xi. 76; gamall ok þó ekki til felldr, Bs. i. 472, Fms. iii. 70; Hallgerðr kvað hann sér vel felldan til verkstjóra, H. said he was well fitted to be her steward, Nj. 57, v. l.: neut., þér er ekki fellt ( it is not fit for thee) at ganga á greipr mönnum Haralds, Fms. vi. 210; svá lízt oss sem slíkum málum sé vel fellt at svara, such cases are well worth consideration, Ld. 90; ekki héldu þeir vel lög þau nema þat er þeim þótti fellt, they observed not the rules except what seemed them fit, Hkr. i. 169; þeirrar stundar er honum þótti til fellt, the time that seemed him fit, Bs. i. 161: in many compds, geð-felldr, skap-f., hug-f., pleasant, agreeable; hag-felldr, practical; sí-felldr, continuous.

* * *

I. with dat.

1) before, in front of (ok vóru fyrir honum borin merkin);

fyrir dyrum, before the door;

2) before one, in one’s presence;

hón nefndist fyrir þeim Gunnhildr, she told them that her name was G.;

3) for;

hann lét ryðja fyrir þeim búðina, he had the booth cleared for them, for their reception;

4) before one, in one’s way;

fjörðr varð fyrir þeim, they came to a fjord;

sitja fyrir e-m, to lie in wait for one;

5) naut. term. before, off;

liggja fyrir bryggjum, to lie off the piers;

fyrir Humru-mynni, off the Humber;

6) before, at the head of, over;

vera fyrir liði, to be over the troops;

vera fyrir máli, to lead the case;

sitja fyrir svörum, to undertake the defence;

7) of time, ago;

fyrir þrem nóttum, three nights ago;

fyrir stundu, a while ago;

fyrir löngu, long ago;

vera fyrir e-u, to forebode (of a dream);

8) before, above, superior to;

Hálfdan svarti var fyrir þeim brœðrum, H. was the foremost of the brothers;

9) denoting disadvantige, harm, suffering;

þú lætr Egil vefja öll mál fyrir þér, thou lettest E. thwart all thy affairs;

tók at eyðast fyrir herm lausa-fé, her money began to fail;

10) denoting obstacle, hindrance;

mikit gøri þer mér fyrir þessu máli, you make this case hard for me;

varð honum lítit fyrir því, it was a small matter for him;

Ásgrími þótti þungt fyrir, A. thought that things looked bad;

11) because of, for;

hon undi sér hvergri fyrir verkjum, she had no rest for pains;

fyrir hræðslu, for fear;

illa fœrt fyrir ísum, scarcely, passable for ice;

gáðu þeir eigi fyrir veiðum at fá heyjanna, because of fishing, they neglected to make hay;

fyrir því at, because, since, as;

12) against;

gæt þín vel fyrir konungi ok hans mönnum, guard thee well against the king and his men;

beiða griða Baldri fyrir alls konar háska, against all kinds of harm;

13) fyrir sér, of oneself;

mikill fyrir sér, strong, powerful;

minnstr fyrir sér, smallest, weakest;

14) denoting manner or quality, with;

hvítr fyrir hærum, while with hoary hair;

II. with acc.

1) before, in front of;

halda fyrir augu sér, to hold (one’s hands) before one’s eyes;

2) before, into the presence of;

stefna e-m fyrir dómstól, before a court;

3) over;

hlaupa fyrir björg, to leap over a precipice;

kasta fyrir borð, to throw overboard;

4) in one’s way, crossing one’s way;

ríða á leið fyrir þá, to ride in their way, so as to meet them;

5) round, off;

sigla fyrir nes, to weather a point;

6) along, all along;

fyrir endilangan Noreg, all along Norway, from one end to the other;

draga ör fyrir odd, to draw the arrow past the point;

7) of time, fyrir dag, before day;

fyrir e-s minni, before one’s memory;

8) for, on behalf of;

vil ek bjóða at fara fyrir þik, I will offer to go for thee, in thy stead;

lögvörn fyrir mál, a lawful defence for a case;

9) for, for the benefit of;

þeir skáru fyrir þá melinn, they cut the lyme-grass for them (the horses);

10) for, instead of, in place of, as;

11) for, because of (vilja Gunnar dauðan fyrir höggit);

fyrir þín orð, for thy words (intercession);

fyrir sína vinsæld, by reason of his popularity;

12) denoting value, price;

fyrir þrjár merkr, for three marks;

fyrir hvern mun, by all means, at any cost;

13) in spite of, against (giptast fyrir ráð e-s);

14) joined with adverbs ending in -an, governing acc. (fyrir austan, vestan, sunnan, norðan, útan innan, framan, handan, ofan, neðan);

fyrir austan, sunnan fjall, east, south of the fell;

fyrir neðan brú, below the bridge;

fyrir handan á, beyond the river;

fyrir innan garð, inside the fence;

III. as adverb or ellipt.

1) ahead, before, opp. to eptir;

þá var eigi hins verra eptir ván, er slíkt fór fyrir, when this came first, preceded;

2) first;

mun ek þar eptir gera sem þér gerit fyrir, I shall do to you according as you do first;

3) at hand, present, to the fore;

föng þau, er fyrir vóru, stores that were at hand;

þar var fyrir fjöldi boðsmanna, a host of guests was already present (before the bride and bridegroom came);

4) e-m verðr e-t fyrir, one takes a certain step, acts so and so;

Kolbeini varð ekki fyrir, K. was at a loss what to do;

e-t mælist vel (illa) fyrir, a thing is well (ill) spoken or reported of (kvæðit mæltist vel fyrir).

* * *

prep., in the Editions spelt differently; in MSS. this word is usually abbreviated either  (i. e. firir), or Ꝼ̆, fur͛, fvr͛ (i. e. fyrir); in some MSS. it is idiomatically spelt with i, fir͛, e. g. Arna-Magn. 382 (Bs. i. 263 sqq.); and even in the old Miracle-book Arna-Magn. 645 (Bs. i. 333 sqq.), just as ifir is written for yfir ( over); in a few MSS. it is written as a monosyllable fyr, e. g. D. I. i. 475, Mork. passim; in Kb. (Sæm.-Edda) occurs fyr telia, Vsp. I; fyr norðan, 36; fyr dyrum, Gm. 22; fyr vestan ver, Hkv. 2. 8; in other places as a dissyll. fyrir, e. g. Hm. 56, Gm. 54, Skm. 34, Ls. 15, Am. 64, Hkv. 2. 2, 19 (quoted from Bugge’s edition, see his preface, p. xvi); fyr and fyrir stand to one another in the same relation as ept to eptir, und to undir, of ( super) to yfir: this monosyllabic form is obsolete, save in the compds, where ‘for-’ is more common than ‘fyrir-;’ in some cases both forms are used, e. g. for-dæming and fyrir-dæming; in others only one, but without any fixed rule: again, the forms fyri, fyre, or fire, which are often used in Edd., are just as wrong, as if one were to say epti, undi, yfi; yet this spelling is found now and then in MSS., as, fyre, Ó. H. (facsimile); fire, Grág. Sb. ii. 288 (also facsimile): the particles í and á are sometimes added, í fur, Fms. iv. 137; í fyrir, passim; á fur, Haustl. 1. [Ulf. faur and faura; A. S. fore and for; Engl. for and fore-; Germ. für and vor; Dan. for; Swed. för; Gr. προ-; Lat. pro, prae.]

WITH DAT., chiefly without the notion of movement.

A. LOCAL:

I. before, in front of; fyrir dyrum, before the doors, at the doors, Nj. 14, Vsp. 53, Hm. 69, Edda 130; niðr f. smiðju-dyrum, Eg. 142:—ahead, úti fyrir búðinni, Nj. 181; kómusk sauðirnir upp á fjallit f. þeim, ahead of them, 27; vóru fyrir honum borin merkin, the banner was borne before him, 274; göra orð fyrir sér, to send word before one, Fms. vii. 207, Hkr. iii. 335 (Ó. H. 201, l. c., frá sér):—also denoting direction, niðri í eldinum f. sér, beneath in the fire before them, Nj. 204; þeir sá f. sér bæ mikinn, they saw before them a great building, i. e. they came to a great house, Eg. 546; öðrum f. sér ( in front) en öðrum á bak sér, Grág. i. 5.

2. before one, before one’s face, in one’s presence; úhelgaða ek Otkel f. búum, before the neighbours, Nj. 87; lýsi ek f. búum fimm, 218; lýsa e-u ( to proclaim) f. e-m, Ld. 8; hann hermdi boð öll f. Gizuri, Nj. 78; hón nefndisk f. þeim Gunnhildr, told them that her name was G., Fms. i. 8; kæra e-t f. e-m, Ó. H. 60; slíkar fortölur hafði hann f. þeim, Nj. 200; the saying, því læra börnin málið að það er f. þeim haft, bairns learn to speak because it is done before them, i. e. because they hear it; hafa gott (íllt) f. e-m, to give a good (bad) example, e. g. in the presence of children; lifa vel f. Guði, to live well before God, 623. 29; stór ábyrgðar-hluti f. Guði, Nj. 199; sem þeir sjá réttast f. Guði, Grág. i. (pref.); fyrir öllum þeim, Hom. 89; á laun f. öðrum mönnum, hidden from other men, unknown to them, Grág. i. 337, Jb. 378; nú skaltú vera vin minn mikill f. húsfreyju minni, i. e. when you talk to my wife, Nj. 265; fyrir Drottni, before the Lord, Merl. 2. 78.

3. denoting reception of guests, visitors; hann lét ryðja f. þeim búðina, he had the room cleared for them, for their reception, Nj. 228; Valhöll ryðja fyr vegnu fólki, i. e. to clear Valhalla for slain folk, Em. I; ryðja vígvöll f. vegundum, Nj. 212; ljúka upp f. e-m, to open the door for one, Fms. xi. 323, Stj. 5; rýma pallinn f. þeim, Eg. 304; hann lét göra eld f. þeim, he had a fire made for them, 204; þeir görðu eld. f. sér, Fms. xi. 63; … veizlur þar sem fyrir honum var búit, banquets that were ready for him, Eg. 45.

II. before one, in one’s way; þar er díki varð f. þeim, Eg. 530; á (fjörðr) varð f. þeim, a river, fjord, was before them, i. e. they came to it, 133, 161; at verða eigi f. liði yðru, 51; maðr sá varð f. Vindum, that man was overtaken by the V., Hkr. iii. 363; þeirra manna er f. honum urðu, Eg. 92.

2. sitja f. e-m, to lie in wait for one, Ld. 218, Nj. 107; lá f. henni í skóginum, Edda (pref.); sitja f. rekum, to sit watching for wrecks, Eg. 136 (fyrir-sát).

3. ellipt., menn urðu at gæta sín er f. urðu, Nj. 100; Egill var þar f. í runninum, E. was before (them), lay in ambush, Eg. 378; hafði sá bana er f. varð, who was before (the arrow), i. e. he was hit, Nj. 8.

4. verða f. e-u, to be hit, taken, suffer from a thing; ef hann verðr f. drepi, if he be struck, Grág. ii. 19; verða f. áverka, to be wounded, suffer injury, Ld. 140; verða f. reiði konungs, to fall into disgrace with the king, Eg. 226; verða f. ósköpum, to become the victim of a spell, spell-bound, Fas. i. 130; sitja f. hvers manns ámæli, to be the object of all men’s blame, Nj. 71; vera eigi f. sönnu hafðr, to be unjustly charged with a thing, to be innocent.

III. a naut. term, before, off; liggja f. bryggjum, to lie off the pier, Ld. 166; skip fljóta f. strengjum, Sks. 116; þeir lágu f. bænum, they lay off the town, Bs. i. 18; liggja úti f. Jótlands-síðu, off Jutland, Eg. 261; hann druknaði f. Jaðri, off the J., Fms. i. II; þeir kómu at honum f. Sjólandi, off Zealand, x. 394; hafa úti leiðangr f. landi, Hkr. i. 301; f. Humru-minni, off the Humber, Orkn. 338, cp. Km. 3, 8, 9, 13, 19, 21; fyrir Nesjum, off the Ness, Vellekla; fyrir Tungum, Sighvat; fyrir Spáni, off Spain, Orkn. 356.

IV. before, at the head of, denoting leadership; smalamaðr f. búi föður síns, Ver. 26 (of king David); vera f. liði, to be over the troops, Eg. 292, Nj. 7; vera f. máli, to lead the case, Band. 8; vera forstjóri f. búi, to be steward over the household, Eg. 52; ráða f. landi, ríki, etc., to rule, govern, Ó H. 33, Nj. 5; hverr f. eldinum réði, who was the ringleader of the fire, Eg. 239; ráða f. e-u, to rule, manage a thing, passim: the phrase, sitja f. svörum, to respond on one’s behalf, Ölk. 36, Band. 12; hafa svör f. e-m, to be the chief spokesman, Fms. x. 101, Dipl. v. 26.

V. special usages; friða f. e-m, to make peace for one, Fms. vii. 16, Bs. i. 65; bæta f. e-m, to make things good for one, Hom. 109; túlka, vera túlkr, flytja (etc.) f. e-m, to plead for one, Fms. iii. 33, Nj. 128,—also spilla f. e-m, to disparage one, Eg. 255; haga, ætla f. e-u, to manage, arrange for one, Ld. 208, Sturl. i. 14, Boll. 356; rífka ráð f. e-m, to better one’s condition, Nj. 21; ráða heiman-fylgju ok tilgjöf f. frændkonu sinni, Js. 58; standa f. manni, to stand before, shield a man, stand between him and his enemy, Eg. 357, Grág. ii. 13; vera skjöldr f. e-m, 655 xxxii. 4; hafa kostnað f. e-u, to have the expences for a thing, Ld. 14; vinna f. e-m, to support one by one’s work, Sks. 251; starfa f. fé sínu, to manage one’s money, Ld. 166; hyggja f. e-u, to take heed for a thing, Nj. 109; hyggja f. sér, Fs. 5; hafa forsjá f. e-m, to provide for one, Ld. 186; sjá f. e-u, to see after, Eg. 118, Landn, 152; sjá þú nokkut ráð f. mér, Nj. 20: ironic. to put at rest, Háv. 40: ellipt., sjá vel f., to provide well for, Nj. 102.

B. TEMP. ago; fyrir þrem nóttum, three nights ago; fyrir stundu, a while ago, Nj. 80; fyrir litlu, a little while ago, Fms. i. 76, Ld. 134; fyrir skömmu, a sbort while ago; fyrir löngu, a long while ago, Nj. 260, Fms. i. 50; fyrir öndverðu, from the beginning, Grág. i. 80, ii. 323, 394, Finnb. 342; fyrir þeim, before they were born, Fms. i. 57.

2. the phrase, vera f. e-u, to forebode; vera f. stórfundum, Nj. 107, 277; þat hygg ek vera munu f. siða-skipti, Fms. xi. 12; þessi draumr mun vera f. kvámu nökkurs manns, vii. 163; dreyma draum f. e-u, 8; fyrir tiðendum, ii. 65:—spá f. e-m, to ‘spae’ before, prophecy to one, Nj. 171.

C. METAPH.:

I. before, above; þóttu þeir þar f. öllum ungum mönnum, Dropl. 7; þykkisk hann mjök f. öðrum mönnum, Ld. 38; ver f. hirðmönnum, be first among my herdsmen, Eg. 65; Hálfdan svarti var f. þeim bræðrum, H. was the foremost of the brothers, Fms. i. 4; þorgrímr var f. sonum Önundar, Grett. 87; var Haraldr mest f. þeim at virðingu, Fms. i. 47.

II. denoting help, assistance; haun skal rétta vættið f. þeim, Grág. i. 45 (vide above A. IV and V).

2. the following seem to be Latinisms, láta lífit f. heilagri Kristni, to give up one’s life for holy Christianity, = Lat. pro, Fms. vii. 172; ganga undir píslir fyrir Guðs nafni, Blas. 38; gjalda önd mína f. önd þinni, Johann. 17; gefa gjöf f. sál sinni ( pro animâ suâ), H. E. i. 466; fyrir mér ok minni sál, Dipl. iv. 8; færa Guði fórnir f. e-m, 656 A; heita f. e-m, biðja f. e-m, to make a vow, pray for one (orare pro), Fms. iii. 48, Bs. i. 70; biðja f. mönnum, to intercede for, 19, Fms. xi. 287: even with a double construction, biðja f. stað sinn (acc., which is vernacular) ok heilagri kirkju (dat., which is a Latinism), x. 127.

III. denoting disadvantage, harm, suffering; þú lætr Egil vefja öll mál fyrir þér, thou lettest Egil thwart all thy affairs, Eg. 249; únýtir hann þá málit fyrir sér, then he ruins his own case, Grág. i. 36, Dropl. 14, 16; Manverjar rufu safnaðinn f. Þorkatli, the Manxmen broke up the assembly, i. e. forsook Thorkel, Fms. ix. 422; kom upp grátr f. henni, she burst into tears, 477; taka fé f. öðrum, to take another’s money, N. G. L. i. 20; knörr þann er konungr lét taka fyrir Þórólfi, Landn. 56; ef hross verðr tekit f. honum, if a horse of his be taken, Grág. i. 436; hann tók upp fé fyrir öllum, he seized property for them all, Ó. H. 60; e-t ferr ílla f. e-m, a thing turns out ill for one; svá fór f. Ólófu, so it came to pass for O., Vígl. 18; loka dyrr f. e-m, to lock the door in one’s face, Edda 21: þeir hafa eigi þessa menn f. yðr drepit, heldr f. yðrar sakir þessi víg vegit, i. e. they have not harmed you, but rather done you a service in slaying those men, Fbr. 33; tók at eyðask f. henni lausa-fé, her money began to fail, Nj. 29; rak á f. þeim storma ok stríðviðri, they were overtaken by gales and bad weather, Vígl. 27; Víglundr rak út knöttinn f. Jökli, V. drove the ball for J., i. e. so that he had to run after it, 24; sá er skar tygil f. Þóri, he who cut Thor’s line, Bragi; sverð brast f. mér, my sword broke, Korm. 98 (in a verse); brjóta e-t f. e-m, to break a thing for one, Bs. i. 15 (in a verse); Valgarðr braut krossa fyrir Merði ok öll heilög tákn, Nj. 167; árin brotnaði f. honum, his oar broke; allar kýrnar drápust fyrir honum, all his cows died.

2. denoting difficulty, hindrance; sitja f. sæmd e-s, to sit between oneself and one’s honour, i. e. to hinder one’s doing well, Sturl. 87; mikit göri þér mér f. þessu máli, you make this case sore for me, Eb. 124; þér er mikit f. máli, thy case stands ill, Fms. v. 325; ekki er Guði f. því, it is easy for God to do, 656 B. 9; varð honum lítið f. því, it was a small matter for him, he did it easily, Grett. III; mér er minna f. því, it is easier for me, Am. 60; þykkja mikit f. e-u, to be much grieved for a thing, do it unwillingly, Nj. 77; Icel. also say, þykja fyrir (ellipt.), to feel hurt, be displeased:—ellipt., er þeim lítið fyrir at villa járnburð þenna, it is a small matter for them to spoil this ordeal, Ó. H. 140; sem sér muni lítið f. at veiða Gunnar, Nj. 113; fast mun f. vera, it will be fast-fixed before (one), hard to move, Ld. 154; Ásgrími þótti þungt f., A. thought that things looked sad (heavy), Nj. 185; hann var lengi f., he was long about it, Fms. x. 205; hann var lengi f. ok kvað eigi nei við, he was cross and said not downright no, Þorf. Karl. 388.

IV. in a causal sense, for, because of, Lat. per, pro; sofa ek né mákat fugls jarmi fyrir, I cannot sleep for the shrill cry of birds, Edda 16 (in a verse); hon undi sér hvergi f. verkjum, she had no rest for pains, Bjarn. 69; fyrir gráti, tárum, = Lat. prae lacrymis; fyrir harmi, for sorrow; f. hlátri, for laughter, as in Engl.; þeir æddust f. einni konu, they went mad for the sake of one woman, Sól. 11; ílla fært f. ísum, scarce passable for ice, Fms. xi. 360; hætt var at sitja útar f. Miðgarðs-ormi, Edda 35; hann var lítt gengr f. sárinu, he could hardly walk for the wound, Fbr. 178; fyrir hræðslu, for fear, Hbl. 26; heptisk vegrinn f. þeim meinvættum sem …, Fs. 4; gáðu þeir eigi f. veiðum at fá heyjanna, because of fishing they took no care to make hay, Landn. 30; fyrir riki konungs, for the king’s power, Eg. 67, 117; fyrir ofríki manna, Grág. i. 68; fyrir hví, for why? Eluc. 4; fyrir hví þeir væri þar, Eg. 375; fyrir því, at …, for that, because, Edda 35, Fms. i. 22, vii. 330, Ld. 104; en fyrir því nú at, now since, Skálda 171; nú fyrir því at, id., 169: the phrase, fyrir sökum, for the sake of, because of, passim; vide sök.

V. by, by the force of; öxlin gékk ór liði fyrir högginu, the shoulder was disjointed by the force of the stroke, Háv. 52.

2. denoting contest; falla f. e-m, to fall before one, i. e. fighting against one, Fms. i. 7, iv. 9, x. 196; verða halloki f. e-m, to be overcome in fighting one, Ld. 146; látask f. e-m, to perish by one, Eb. 34; hafa bana f. e-m, to be slain by one, Nj. 43; þeir kváðu fá fúnað hafa f. honum, 263; mæddisk hann f. þeim, he lost his breath in fighting them, Eg. 192; láta ríki f. e-m, to lose the kingdom before another, i. e. so that the latter gains it, 264; láta lausar eignir mínar f. þér, 505; láta hlut sinn f. e-m, Fs. 47; standask f. e-m, to stand one’s ground before one, Edda (pref.); hugðisk hann falla mundu f. sjóninni einni saman, that he would sink before his glance, 28, Hým. 12; halda hlut f. e-m, Ld. 54; halda frið ok frelsi f. várum óvinum, Fms. viii. 219; fara mun ek sem ek hefi áðr ætlað f. þínum draum ( thy dream notwithstanding), Ld. 216; þér farit hvárt er þér vilit f. mér, you go wherever you like for me, so far as I am concerted, Fær. 37; halda vöku f. sér, to keep oneself awake, Fms. i. 216.

β. with verbs, flýja, hlaupa, renna, stökkva f. e-m, to fly, leap, run before one, i. e. to be pursued, Bs. i. 774, Grág. ii. 359; at hann rynni f. þrælum hans, Ld. 64; fyrir þessum úfriði stökk Þangbrandr til Noregs, 180; skyldi hann ganga ór á f. Hofsmönnum, Landn. 178; ganga f. e-u, to give way before, yield to a thing, Fms. i. 305, x. 292; vægja f. e-m, to yield to one, give way, Eg. 21, 187, Nj. 57, Ld. 234.

VI. against; verja land f. e-m, Eg. 32; verja landit f. Dönum ok öðrum víkingum, Fms. i. 23; til landvarnar f. víkingum, Eg. 260; landvarnar-maðr f. Norðmönnum, Fms. vi. 295; gæta brúarinnar f. bergrisum, Edda 17; gæt þín vel f. konungi ok hans mönnum, guard thee well against the king and his men, Eg. 113; góð aðstoð f. tröllum ok dvergum, Bárð. 163; beiða Baldri griða f. allskonar háska, Edda 36; auðskæðr f. höggum, Eg. 770.

VII. in the sense of being driven before; fyrir straumi, veðri, vindi, before the stream, wind, weather (forstreymis, forvindis), Grág. ii. 384, Fms. vii. 262; halda f. veðri, to stand before the wind, Róm. 211.

2. rýrt mun verða f. honum smá-mennit, he will have an easy game with the small people, Nj. 94: ellipt., hafði sá bana er f. varð, 8; sprakk f., 16, 91.

VIII. fyrir sér, of oneself, esp. of physical power; mikill f. sér, strong, powerful; lítill f. sér, weak, feeble, Nj. 20, Ísl. ii. 368, Eg. 192; þér munuð kalla mik lítinn mann f. mér, Edda 33; minnstr f. sér, smallest, weakest, Eg. 123; gildr maðr f. sér, Ísl. ii. 322, Fms. ii. 145; herðimaðr mikiil f. sér, a hardy man, Nj. 270; hvat ert þú f. þér, what kind of fellow art thou? Clem. 33; vera einn f. sér, to be a strange fellow, Grett. 79 new Ed.; Icel. also say, göra mikið (lítið) f. sér, to make oneself big ( little).

β. sjóða e-t f. sér, to hesitate, saunter, Nj. 154; mæla f. munni, to talk between one’s teeth, to mutter, Orkn. 248, Nj. 249.

IX. denoting manner or quality; hvítr f. hærum, white with hoary hairs, Fms. vi. 95, Fas. ii. 540; gráir fyrir járnum, grey with steel, of a host in armour, Mag. 5; hjölt hvít f. silfri, a hilt white with silver = richly silvered, Eb. 226.

X. as adverb or ellipt.,

1. ahead, in front, = á undan, Lat. prae, opp. to eptir; þá var eigi hins verra eptir ván, er slíkt fór fyrir, as this came first, preceded, Nj. 34; at einhverr mundi fara heim fyrir, that some one would go home first (to spy), Eg. 580; Egill fór f., E. went in before, id.; at vér ríðim þegar f. í nótt, 283.

β. first; hann stefndi f. málinu, en hann mælti eptir, one pronounced the words first, but the other repeated after him, Nj. 35; mun ek þar eptir göra sem þér gerit f., I shall do to you according as you do first, 90:—temp., sjau nóttum f., seven nights before, Grág. ii. 217.

2. to the fore, at hand, present; þar var fyrir fjöldi boðsmanna, a host of guests was already to the fore, i. e. before the bride and bridegroom came, Nj. 11; úvíst er at vita hvar úvinir sitja á fleti fyrir, Hm. 1; skal þá lögmaðr þar f. vera, he shall be there present, Js. 3; heima í túni fyrir, Fær. 50; þar vóru fyrir Hildiríðar-synir, Eg. 98; var honum allt kunnigt fyrir, he knew all about the localities, 583; þeim ómögum, sem f. eru, who are there already, i. e. in his charge, Grág. i. 286: of things, föng þau er f. vóru, stores that were to the fore, at hand, Eg. 134.

3. fore, opp. to ‘back,’ of clothes; slæður settar f. allt gullknöppum, Eg. 516; bak ok fyrir, back and front, = bak ok brjóst, Mar.

XI. in the phrase, e-m verðr e-t fyrir, a thing is before one, i. e. one takes that and that step, acts so and so in an emergency; nú verðr öðrum þeirra þat f., at hann kveðr, now if the other part alleges, that …, Grág. i. 362; Kolbeini varð ekki f., K. had no resource, i. e. lost his head, Sturl. iii. 285:—the phrase, e-t mælisk vel (ílla) fyrir, a thing is well ( ill) reported of; víg Gunnars spurðisk ok mæltisk ílla fyrir um allar sveitir, Nj. 117, Sturl. ii. 151; mun þat vel f. mælask, people will like it well, Nj. 29, Þórð. 55 new Ed.; ílla mun þat f. mælask at ganga á sættir við frændr sína, Ld. 238; ok er lokit var, mæltisk kvæðit vel f., the people praised the poem, Fms. vii. 113.

XII. in special senses, either as prep. or adv. (vide A. V. above); segja leið f. skipi, to pilot a ship, Eg. 359; segja f. skipi, to say a prayer for a new ship or for any ship going to sea, Bs. i. 774, Fms. x. 480; mæla f. e-u, to dictate, Grág. ii. 266; mæla f. minni, to bring out a toast, vide minni; mæla f. sætt, i. 90; skipa, koma e-u f., to arrange, put right; ætla f. e-u, to make allowance for; trúa e-m f. e-u, to entrust one with; það fer mikið f. e-u (impers.), it is of great compass, bulky; hafa f. e-u, to have trouble with a thing; leita f. sér, to enquire; biðjask f., to say one’s prayers, vide biðja; mæla fyrir, segja f., etc., to order, Nj. 103, Js. 3: of a spell or solemn speaking, hann mælti svá f., at …, Landn. 34; spyrjask f., to enquire, Hkr. ii. 333; búask f., to prepare, make arrangement, Landn. 35, Sks. 551; skipask f., to draw up, Nj. 197; leggjask f., to lie down in despair, Bs. i. 194; spá fyrir, to ‘spae’ before, foretell; þeir menn er spá f. úorðna hluti, Fms. i. 96; segja f., to foretell, 76, Bb. 332; Njáll hefir ok sagt f. um æfi hans, Nj. 102; vita e-t f., to ‘wit’ beforehand, know the future, 98; sjá e-t f., to foresee, 162; ef þat er ætlat f., fore-ordained, id.

WITH ACC., mostly with the notion of movement.

A. LOCAL:

I. before, in front of; fyrir dyrrin, Nj. 198; láta síga brýnn f. brár, Hkv. Hjörv. 19; halda f. augu sér, to hold (one’s hands) before one’s eyes, Nj. 132; leggja sverði fyrir brjóst e-m, to thrust a sword into his breast, 162, Fs. 39.

2. before one, before a court; stefna e-m f. dómstól, Fms. xi. 444; ganga, koma f. e-n, to go, come before one, Fms. i. 15, Eg. 426, Nj. 6, 129, passim; fyrir augu e-s, before one’s eyes, Stj. 611.

3. before, so as to shield; hann kom skildinum f. sik, he put the shield before him, Nj. 97, 115; halda skildi f. e-n, a duelling term, since the seconder had to hold one’s shield, Ísl. ii. 257.

4. joined to adverbs such as fram, aptr, út, inn, ofan, niðr, austr, vestr, suðr, norðr, all denoting direction; fram f., forward; aptr f., backward, etc.; hann reiddi öxina fram f. sik, a stroke forward with the axe, Fms. vii. 91; hann hljóp eigi skemra aptr en fram fyrir sik, Nj. 29; þótti honum hann skjóta brandinum austr til fjallanna f. sik, 195; komask út f. dyrr, to go outside the door, Eg. 206:—draga ofan f. brekku, to drag over the hill, Ld. 220; hrinda f. mel ofan, to thrust one over the gravel bank, Eg. 748; hlaupa f. björg, to leap over a precipice, Eb. 62, Landn. 36; elta e-n f. björg, Grág. ii. 34; hlaupa (kasta) f. borð, to leap ( throw) overboard, Fms. i. 178, Hkr. iii. 391, Ld. 226; síga ( to be hauled) niðr f. borgar-vegg, 656 C. 13, Fms. ix. 3; hlaupa niðr f. stafn, Eg. 142; niðr f. skaflinn, Dropl. 25; fyrir brekku, Orkn. 450, Glúm. 395 (in a verse).

II. in one’s way, crossing one’s way; þeir stefndu f. þá, Fms. ix. 475; ríða á leið f. þá, to ride in their way, so as to meet them, Boll. 348; hlaupa ofan f. þá, Nj. 153; vóru allt komin f. hann bréf, letters were come before him, in his way, Fms. vii. 207; þeir felldu brota f. hann, viz. they felled trees before him, so as to stop him, viii. 60, ix. 357; leggja bann f. skip, to lay an embargo on a ship, Ld. 166.

III. round, off a point; fyrir nesit, Nj. 44; út f. Holm, out past the Holm, Fms. vii. 356: esp. as a naut. term, off a point on the shore, sigla f. England, Norðyrnbraland, Þrasnes, Spán, to sail by the coast of, stand off England, Northumberland, … Spain, Orkn. 338, 340, 342, 354; fyrir Yrjar, Fms. vii. (in a verse); fyrir Siggju, Aumar, Lista, Edda 91 (in a verse); er hann kom f. Elfina, when be came off the Gotha, Eg. 80; leggja land f. skut, to lay the land clear of the stern, i. e. to pass it, Edda l. c.; göra frið f. land sitt, to pacify the land from one end to another, Ld. 28; fyrir uppsprettu árinnar, to come to ( round) the sources of the river, Fms. iii. 183; fyrir garðs-enda, Grág. ii. 263; girða f. nes, to make a wall across the ness, block it up, cp. Lat. praesepire, praemunire, etc., Grág. ii. 263; so also binda f. op, poka, Lat. praeligare, praestringere; hlaða f. gat, holu, to stop a hole, opening; greri f. stúfinn, the stump (of the arm or leg) was healed, closed, Nj. 275; skjóta slagbrandi f. dyrr, to shoot a bolt before the door, to bar it, Dropl. 29; láta loku (lás) f. hurð, to lock a door, Gísl. 28; setja innsigli f. bréf, to set a seal to a letter, Dipl. i. 3: ellipt., setr hón þar lás fyrir, Ld. 42, Bs. i. 512.

2. along, all along; f. endilanga Danmörk, f. endilangan Noreg, all along Denmark, Norway, from one end to the other, Fms. iv. 319, xi. 91, Grett. 97:—öx álnar f. munn, an axe with an ell-long edge, Ld. 276; draga ör f. ödd, to draw the arrow past the point, an archer’s term, Fms. ii. 321.

IV. with verbs, fyrir ván komit, one is come past hope, all hope is gone, Sturl. i. 44, Hrafn. 13, Fms. ii. 131; taka f. munn e-m, to stop one’s mouth; taka f. háls, kverkar, e-m, to seize one by the throat, etc.; taka mál f. munn e-m, ‘verba alicujus praeripere,’ to take the word out of one’s mouth, xi. 12; taka f. hendr e-m, to seize one’s hands, stop one in doing a thing, Eb. 124; mod., taka fram f. hendrnar á e-m.

B. TEMP.: fyrir dag, before day, Eg. 80; f. miðjan dag, Ld. 14; f. sól, before sunrise, 268; f. sólar-lag, before sunset; f. miðjan aptan, Nj. 192; f. náttmál, 197; f. óttu, Sighvat; f. þinglausnir, Ölk. 37; f. Jól, Nj. 269; f. fardaga, Grág. ii. 341; viku f. sumar, 244; f. mitt sumar, Nj. 138; litlu f. vetr, Eg. 159; f. vetrnætr, Grág. ii. 217; f. e-s minni, before one’s memory, Íb. 16.

C. METAPH.:

I. above, before; hann hafdi mest fyrir aðra konunga hraustleikinn, Fms. x. 372.

II. for, on behalf of; vil ek bjóða at fara f. þik, I will go for thee, in thy stead, Nj. 77; ganga í skuld f. e-n, Grág. i. 283; Egill drakk … ok svá f. Ölvi, Eg. 210; kaupa e-t f. e-n, Nj. 157; gjalda gjöld f. e-n, Grág. i. 173; verja, sækja, sakir f. e-n, Eg. 504; hvárr f. sik, each for oneself, Dipl. v. 26; sættisk á öll mál f. Björn, Nj. 266; tók sættir f. Björn, Eg. 168; svara f. e-t, Fms. xi. 444; hafa til varnir f. sik, láta lýrit, lög-vörn koma f.; færa vörn f. sik, etc.; verja, sækja sakir f. sik, and many similar law phrases, Grág. passim; biðja konu f. e-n, to woo a lady for another, Fms. x. 44; fyrir mik, on my behalf, for my part, Gs. 16; lögvörn f. mál, a lawful defence for a case, Nj. 111; hafa til varnar f. sök, to defend a case, Grág. i. 61; halda skiladómi f. e-t, Dipl. iv. 8; festa lög f. e-t, vide festa.

III. in a distributive sense; penning f. mann, a penny per man, K. Þ. K. 88; fyrir nef hvert, per nose = per head, Lv. 89, Fms. i. 153, Ó. H. 141; hve f. marga menn, for how many men, Grág. i. 296; fyrir hverja stiku, for each yard, 497.

IV. for, for the benefit of; brjóta brauð f. hungraða, Hom. 75; þeir skáru f. þá melinn, they cut the straw for them (the horses), Nj. 265; leggja kostnað f. e-n, to defray one’s costs, Grág. i. 341.

V. for, instead of; hann setti sik f. Guð, Edda (pref.); hafa e-n f. Guð (Lat. pro Deo), Stj. 73, Barl. 131; geta, fá, kveðja mann f. sik, to get a man as one’s delegate or substitute, Grág. i. 48 passim; þeir höfðu vargstakka f. brynjur, Fs. 17; manna-höfuð vóru f. kljána, Nj. 275; gagl f. gás ok grís f. gamalt svín, Ó. H. 86; rif stór f. hlunna, Háv. 48; buðkr er f. húslker er hafðr, Vm. 171; auga f. auga, tönn f. tönn, Exod. xxi. 24; skell f. skillinga, Þkv. 32.

VI. because of, for; vilja Gunnar dauðan fyrir höggit, Nj. 92, Fms. v. 162; eigi f. sakleysi, not without ground, i. 302; fyrir hvat (why, for what) stefndi Gunnarr þeim til úhelgi? Nj. 101; ok urðu f. þat sekir, Landn. 323; hafa ámæli f. e-t, Nj. 65, passim.

2. in a good sense, for one’s sake, for one; fyrir þín orð, for thy words, intercession, Ísl. ii. 217; vil ek göra f. þín orð, Ld. 158, Nj. 88; fyrir sína vinsæld, by his popularity, Fms. i. 259: the phrase, fyrir e-s sök, for one’s sake, vide sök: in swearing, a Latinism, fyrir trú mína, by my faith! (so in Old Engl. ‘fore God), Karl. 241; fyrir þitt líf, Stj. 514; ek særi þik f. alla krapta Krists ok manndóm þinn, Nj. 176. VII. for, at, denoting value, price; fyrir þrjár merkr, for three marks, Eg. 714; er sik leysti út f. þrjú hundruð marka, Fms. ix. 421; ganga f. hundrað, to pass or go for a hundred, D. I. i. 316:—also of the thing bought, þú skalt reiða f. hana þrjár merkr, thou shall pay for her three marks, Ld. 30; fyrir þik skulu koma mannhefndir, Nj. 57; bætr f. víg, Ísl. ii. 274; bætr f. mann, Eg. 259, passim; fyrir áverka Þorgeirs kom legorðs-sökin, Nj. 101:—so in the phrase, fyrir hvern mun, by all means, at any cost; fyrir öngan mun, by no means, Fms. i. 9, 157, Gþl. 531:—hafði hverr þeirra mann f. sik, eða tvá …, each slew a man or more for himself, i. e. they sold their lives dearly, Ó. H. 217.

2. ellipt., í staðinn f., instead of, Grág. i. 61; hér vil ek bjóða f. góð boð, Nj. 77; taka umbun f., Fms. vii. 161; svara slíku f. sem …, Boll. 350; þér skulut öngu f. týna nema lífinu, you shall lose nothing less than your head, Nj. 7.

VIII. by means of, by, through; fyrir þat sama orð, Stj.; fyrir sína náttúru, Fms. v. 162; fyrir messu-serkinn, iii. 168; fyrir þinn krapt ok frelsis-hönd, Pass. 19. 12; svikin f. orminn, by the serpent, Al. 63,—this use of fyrir seems to be a Latinism, but is very freq. in eccl. writings, esp. after the Reformation, N. T., Pass., Vídal.; fyrir munn Davíðs, through the mouth of David, etc.:—in good old historical writings such instances are few; þeir hlutuðu f. kast ( by dice), Sturl. ii. 159.

IX. in spite of, against; fyrir vilja sinn, N. G. L. i. 151; fyrir vitorð eðr vilja e-s, against one’s will or knowledge, Grág. ii. 348; kvángask (giptask) f. ráð e-s, i. 177, 178, Þiðr. 190; nú fara menn f. bann ( in spite of an embargo) landa á milli, Gþl. 517; hann gaf henni líf f. framkvæmd farar, i. e. although she had not fulfilled her journey ( her vow), Fms. v. 223; fyrir várt lof, vi. 220; fyrir allt þat, in spite of all that, Grett. 80 new Ed.; fyrir ráð fram, heedlessly; fyrir lög fram, vide fram.

X. denoting capacity, in the same sense as ‘at,’ C. II, p. 27, col. 1; scarcely found in old writers (who use ‘at’), but freq. in mod. usage, thus, eigi e-n f. vin, to have one for a friend, in old writers ‘at vin;’ hafa e-n f. fífl, fól, to make sport of one.

2. in old writers some phrases come near to this, e. g. vita f. vist, to know for certain, Dipl. i. 3; vita f. full sannindi, id., ii. 16; hafa f. satt, to take for sooth, believe, Nj. 135; koma f. eitt, to come ( turn) all to one, Lv. 11, Nj. 91, Fms. i. 208; koma f. ekki, to come to naught, be of no avail, Ísl. ii. 215; fyrir hitt mun ganga, it will turn the other way, Nj. 93; fyrir hann er einskis örvænt orðs né verks, from him everything may be expected, Ísl. ii. 326; hafa e-s víti f. varnað, to have another’s faults for warning, Sól. 19.

XI. joined with adverbs ending in -an, fyrir austan, vestan, sunnan, norðan, útan, innan, framan, handan, ofan, neðan, either with a following acc. denoting. direction, thus, fyrir austan, sunnan … fjall, east, south of the fell, i. e. on the eastern, southern side; fyrir neðan brú, below the bridge; fyrir útan fjall = Lat. ultra; fyrir innan fjall = Lat. infra; fyrir handan á, beyond the river; fyrir innan garð, inside the yard; fyrir ofan garð, above, beyond the yard, etc.; vide these adverbs:—used adverb., fyrir sunnan, in the south; fyrir vestan, in the west; fyrir norðan, in the north; fyrir austan, in the east,—current phrases in Icel. to mark the quarters of the country, cp. the ditty in Esp. Árb. year 1530; but not freq. in old writers, who simply say, norðr, suðr …, cp. Kristni S. ch. 1: absol. and adverb., fyrir ofan, uppermost; fyrir handan, on the other side:—fyrir útan e-t, except, save, Anal. 98, Vkv. 8; fyrir fram, vide fram.

☞ For- and fyrir- as prefixes, vide pp. 163–167 and below:

I. fore-, for-, meaning before, above, in the widest sense, local, temp., and metaph. furthering or the like, for-dyri, for-nes, for-ellri, for-beini, etc.

β. before, down, for-brekkis, -bergis, -streymis, -vindis, -viðris, etc.

2. in an intens. sense = before others, very, but not freq.; for-dyld, -góðr, -hagr, -hraustr, -kostuligr, -kuðr, -lítill, -ljótr, -prís, -ríkr, -snjallr.

II. (cp. fyrir, acc., C. IX), in a neg. or priv. sense; a few words occur even in the earliest poems, laws, and writers, e. g. for-að, -átta, -dæða, -nám, -næmi, -sending, -sköp, -verk, -veðja, -viða, -vitni, -ynja, -yrtir; those words at least seem to be original and vernacular: at a later time more words of the same kind crept in:

1. as early as writers of the 13th and 14th centuries, e. g. for-boð, -bænir, -djarfa, -dæma (fyrir-dæma), -taka (fyrir-taka), -þóttr; fyrir-bjóða, -fara, -göra, -koma, -kunna, -líta, -muna, -mæla, -vega, -verða.

2. introduced in some words at the time of the Reformation through Luther’s Bible and German hymns, and still later in many more through Danish, e. g. for-brjóta, -drífa, -láta, -líkast, -merkja, -nema, -sorga, -sóma, -standa, -svara, -þénusta, and several others; many of these, however, are not truly naturalised, being chiefly used in eccl. writings:—it is curious that if the pronoun be placed after the verb (which is the vernacular use in Icel.) the sense is in many cases reversed; thus, fyrir-koma, to destroy, but koma e-u fyrir can only mean to arrange; so also fyrir-mæla, to curse, and mæla fyrir, to speak for; for-bænir, but biðja fyrir e-m, etc.; in the latter case the sense is good and positive, in the former bad and negative; this seems to prove clearly that these compds are due to foreign influence.

(heit; hét, hétum; heitinn), v.

1) to call give a name to;

Grímni mik hétu, they called me G.;

heitinn eptir e-m, called (named) after one;

2) to call on one;

heita e-n á brott, to call on one to be gone, bid one go (heitit mik héðan);

heita á e-n, to exhort one (in battle);

to invoke (heita á hinn heilaga Ólaf);

heita á e-n til e-s, to invoke (appeal to) one for a thing (hann hét á Þór til fulltings);

3) intrans., the pres. ‘heiti’ (not ‘heit’), to be hight, be called;

Óðinn ek, nú heiti, now I am called Odin;

Ólafr heiti ek, my name is O.;

Úlfr hét maðr, there was a man, whose name was U.;

bœr heitir á Bakka (at búrfelli), there is a farm called B.;

heita (to be reckoned) frjáls maðr, hvers manns níðingr;

4) with dat. to promise (heita e-m e-u);

mantu, hverju þú hézt mér, do you remember what you promised me?

heita e-m hörðu, to threaten one;

Bárði var heitit meyjunni, the maid was promised to B.;

5) refl., heitast, to vow, plight one’s faith (þeir hétust reka Hákon ór landi);

heitast e-m, to vow one’s person to one (heitast hinum heilaga Ólafi konungi);

to be betrothed to one.

(heitta, heittr), v.

1) to heat (heita spjót í eldi);

2) to brew (heita mungát, heita öl).

f. brewing (cf. ölheita).

* * *

tt, [heitr], to heat; hón heitti steinana, Lv. 70; hann lét taka sement ok heita í katli, Fms. vi. 153; h. spjót í eldi, Fas. ii. 29; sólin heitir hafit, Rb. 444.,

2. to brew; heita mungát, Bs. i. 339, 340, K. Þ. K. 100, Finnb. 294, Eg. 88; heita öl, 148, Hkv. 3; heita til Jólanna, to brew for Yule, Orkn. 112;—the ancients used to drink fresh-brewed ale.

u, f. brewing, N. G. L. ii. 249, iii. 197; öl-heita, ale-brewing, Landn. 215.

COMPDS: heitugagn, heituhús, heitukerald, heituketill, heitukona, heitumaðr, heituviðr.

* * *

(skil, skilda; skiliðr, later skildr, skilinn), v.

1) to part, divide, separate (sú er nú kölluð Jökulsá ok skirl landsfjórðunga);

skilr hann flokk sinn, he divides his band;

2) to break off, break up (þessi sótt mun skilja samvistu okkra);

síðan skildu þau talit, they broke off their talk;

3) to part company, take leave (skildu þeir með mikilli vináttu);

4) impers.; þar er leidir (acc.) skildi, þá skildi ok slóðina, where the roads parted, there the tracks too parted;

mundi skilja vegu þeirra, their ways would diverge;

með þessu skilr skipti þeirra, thus ended their dealings;

it differs, mikit (acc.) skilr hamingju okkra, there is a wide difference between our fortunes;

þá skilr á um e-t, they disagree about a thing;

ef skrár skilr á, if the scrolls differ;

5) to distinluish, discern, with the eyes (nú má ek þann eigi sjá eða biða mér fulltings, er ek má harm eigi skilja);

with the ears, to hear (eru þeir hér svá, at þeir megi skilja mál mitt);

6) to understand, find out (þá þóttist Þórr skilja hvat látum verity hafði of nóttina);

7) to decide, settle (skildi konungr erendi Sighvats svá, at honum líkaði vel);

8) to set apart, reserve for one (þó at konungr hafi mér skilit eignir minar eða landsvist í Orkneyjum);

eiga e-t skilit, to have reserved, stipulated (þat átta ek skilit við þik, at);

skilja sér e-t, to reserve to oneself (jarðir hafði hann hygt ok skilit sér allar landskyldir);

skilja e-t í sætt, to lay down, stipulate, in an agreement (þat var skilit í sæt- várri, at);

9) with preps.:

skilja e-t á við e-n, to stipulate (þó vil ek skilja á við þik einn hlut);

skilja e-t eptir, to leave behind;

skilja e-t frá e-u, to separate from (hann skildi sik sjálfr frá ríki ok fór í klaustr);

to exeinpt from (hverr maðr skyldi gjalda konungi fimm aura, sá er eigi væri frá því skiliðr);

skilja fyrir e-u, to formulate, dictate (skilja fyrir eiðstafinum);

skilja fyrir heiti, to formulate, pronounce a vow;

skilja með mönnum, to part, separate (nótt skildi þá með þeim);

impers., skilr með þeim, they part (eptir þetta skildi með þeim);

skilja e-t í sundr, to part asunder (hinir skildu í sundr skipin ok gerðu hlið í millum skipanna);

skilja e-t til, to stipulate (vil ek ok til skilja, at);

skilja e-t undan, to except, to make a reservation for (at undan skildum, heraðssektum);

skilja e-t undan e-m, to deprive one of;

skilja e-t undir e-n, to leave it to one (Njáll kvaðst þat vilja skilja undir Höskuld);

skilja e-n undir sætt, to include one in an agreement (hversu marga menn viltu skilja undir sættir okkar);

skilja undir eið, to make an oath with reservation;

skilja við e-n, to part with, put away;

skilja við konu, bónda, to divorce one’s wife, one’s husband;

segja skilit við konu, to declare oneself separated from;

10) refl., skiljast.

* * *

pres. skil, skill, Grág.; pret. skilði, skildi; part. skiliðr, and later, skildr and skilinn; neut. skilið and skilt: [the original sense, viz. to cut, Lat. secare, appears in Goth. skilja = a butcher; A. S. scylan = to separate.]

A. To part, separate, divide; Tanais skilr heims-þriðjunga, Al. 131; sú er nú kölluð Jökulsá ok skilr lands-fjórðunga, Landn. 251; Gautelfr skilr Noregs-konungs ríki ok Svía-konungs, Rb. 330:—to break off, break up, þessi sótt mun skilja vára samvistu, Ld. 286; mun sá einn hlutr vera at s. mun með okkr, Nj. 112; mun þat s. með okkr, Fs. 16: segja Rúti at betra mun at s. ykkr, of fighters, Nj. 32; Höskuldr skildi þær, Ld. 36; þá er barsmíð skilið, Grág. ii. 114; s. ræðu, s. talit, to break off the conversation, Ld. 36, Fms. ii. 262, Nj. 48, Bjarn. 22; s. boðinu (dat.), Gísl. 116, is prob. an error; skilja hjúskap, to divorce, K. Á. 6; váru skilið ráð þeirra Sigríðar, Fms. x. 219; skilr hann flokk sinn, then he divided his band, viii. 59; þá skildi ekki nema hel, vii. 233.

2. with prepp.: s. frá, to separate, Fms. xi. 350, Blas. 42; frá skildr, excepted, Dipl. v. 22, K. Á. 182; frá skiliðr, Grág. i. 16; skilja mik frá trú, Blas. 42; at engu frá skildu, nothing excepted. Dipl. v. 22; eiðar frá skildir, K. Á. 182; sá maðr er nú var frá skiliðr, Grág;. i. 16, 17:—s. sundr, to put asunder, Nj. 42:—s. við, to part with, put away; s. við konu, s. við bónda, 686 B. 14, Þórð. 46 new Ed.; at ek vilja s. við félaga minn, Grág. i. 326; ok sé hann skildr við ( have forfeited) ábúð jarðar, Gþl 337:—s. eptir, to leave behind, Mag.: passim in mod. usage, eg skildi það eptir heima.

3. to part company, leave; svá skildu vér næstum, at…, Nj. 49; eptir þat skildu þeir, 98; skildu þeir með mikilli vináttu, 138; hefir þú mér heitið, at vit skyldim aldri s., 201.

4. impers. one parts; hence followed by acc., one parts a thing, i. e. it branches off, is separated; þar skilr Spán inn Kristna ok Spán inn heiðna, Fms. vii. 80; þar er leiðir skildi ( where the roads parted) þá skildi ok slóðna, there the tracks too parted, Eg. 579; mundi skilja vegu þeirra, their ways would diverge, 126; með þessu skilr skipti þeirra, thus ended their dealings, Ísl. ii. 274; er þat nú bezt at skili með oss, Finnb. 334; skilr þá með þeim, Nj. 112.

β. it differs; at mikit (acc.) skili hamingju okkra, there is a wide difference between, Eg. 719; hvat skilr þær ástgjafar, 656 A. i. 12; þvíat mennina skildi, Sks. 733 B.

γ. it falls out, comes to a difference; even with a double acc. of person and of thing, e-n skilr á um e-t; þá skildi aldri á orð (acc.) né verk, Nj. 147; ef þá skill á, Grág. ii. 70; þeir skyldu sik láta á, skilja um einhvern hlut, Ld. 60; þeir urðu missáttir, ok skildi þá (á) um eignina á Auslrátt, Fms. ix. 458; skildi þá ekki (acc.) á ek Rúnólf, they and R. disagreed in nought, Nj. 178; hver-vitna þess er menn skilr á um sætr, N. G. L. i. 42; nú skilr menn á (um) markteig, id.; ef menn skilr á (um) merki, id.; hann (acc.) hafði skilt á við gesti jarls, Fms. ix. 449; ek vil at þú látir þik á skilja við einhvern húskarl minn, Rd. 318; ef skrár skilr á, if the scrolls differ, Grág. i. 7.

B. Metaph. usages:

I. [Old Engl. to skill], to distinguish, discern, understand; vóru svá skilið nöfn með þeim, Ísl. ii. 332; eru þeir hér svá, at þeir megi s. mál mitt ( hear it), Eg. 735; spilltisk svá sýnin at eingi þeirra mátti s. hann, Hom. 120; s. ljós frá myrkum, Sks. 626 B; kunna drauma at skilja, to know how to ‘skill’ dreams, Fms. iv. 381: to understand, þat er at skilja ( that is to say) á vára tunga, Anecd. 16, 18; konungr skildi at þetta var með spotti gört, Fms. i. 15; vér þykkjumk hitt s., at …, Ld. 180; ef þat er rétt skilt, sem þar kveðr at, Grág. ii. 37; hón skildi þó raunar hvat hann mælti til hjálpar manninum, Fs. 76; kunnu vér alira þjóða tungur at mæla ok skilja, 656 A. ii. 10: very freq. in mod. usage, skilr þú þetta? eg skil ekki hvat þú segir, það er ó-skiljandi.

II. as a law term, to decide; skildi konungr erendi Sighvats svá, at …, Fms. v. 180; þá er kviðir eigu at s. mál manna, Grág. i. 49; skulu heimilis-búar hans fimm skilja þat, hvárt …, 58; allt þat sem lögbók skilr eigi, Gþl. 18; enir sömu búar skolu um þat skilja, Grág. i. 43; at þeir eru þess kviðar kvaddir er þeir eigu eigi um at s., 55; skulu vetfangs-búar s. um hvárt-tveggja, ii. 37; tólflar-kviðr átti um at s., Eb., Nj. 238.

2. to set apart, reserve; þat skil ek er ek vil, Nj. 55; þessu sem nú var skilt með þeim, Fms. xi. 100; nú hefir maðr kú skilt í skyld sína, Gþl. 503; þat var skilit í sætt vára, Nj. 257; þat var skilið í sæll þeirra Þóris föður míns ok Bjarnar, at …, Eg. 345; var þat skilit til brigða um áðr-nefnt kaup, Dipl. iii. 10; hann skildi af sér ( declined responsibility) um fyrnd á kirkju alla ábyrgð, iv. 4; þat er stórmæl ok skilit ( express) boðorð, Anecd. 46; nema þat væri skilt (expressly reserved), Fms. x. 447: eiga skilit, to have reserved, stipulated; þat átta ek skilit við þik, at …, ii. 93; sem Hrani átti skilt, iv. 31; at hann vill hafa gripina svá sem hann átti skilit, vi. 60: hence the mod. phrase, eg á það ekki skilið, ‘tis not due to reserve this for me, i. e. I do not deserve it; hann á það skilið, it is owing to him, it serves him right:—s. sér e-t, to reserve to oneself, Fas. i. 527, Fms. v. 293, ix. 323, Landn. 304; Njáll kveðsk þat vilja s. undir Höskuld, to make a reservation, reserve it for H., Nj. 149; þeir sem gáfu, skildu æfinlig forræði þeirra undir sik ok sína arfa, reserved it for themselves and their heirs, Bs. i. 689.

3. esp. with a prep.; s. á, fyrir, til, undan, to stipulate, reserve; vil ek s. á við þik einn hlut, Hrafn. 6; skaltú s. þat á við hann, Fms, x. 334:—s. fyrir, hversu var skilt fyrir félagi þeirra, Grág. i. 330; ok skili þeir þá fyrir þegar, 118; skal einn maðr s. fyrir ( pronounce) en aðrir gjalda samkvæði á, i. 2; at svá fyrir-skildu ( so stipulated), Dipl, v. 19; handa-band þeirra var svá fyrir skilit, iv. 9; þá skilði Sverrir konungr fyrir eidstafinum ( dictated it), Fms. viii. 150; er hann hafði fyrir skilt heitinu, made (said) the vow, 55:—þann hlut vilda ek til s., at vér værim austr hér. Nj. 149; þat vil ek þá s. til, segir Hallr, at …, 156; þat vil ek ok til s. við ykkr bræðr jarla mína, at …, Ó. H. 98; megu þeir eigi aðra göra sekð hans en til var skilit fyrir váttum, Grág. i. 118:—s. undir eið, to take an oath with reservation, Grág. i. 56, Sturl. i. 66:—s. undan, to reserve, make a reservation; s. undan goðorð, utanferðir, sektir, Ld. 308, Sturl. ii. 63.

C. Reflex. to separate, break up; skildisk þá ok riðlaðisk fylkingin, Fms. vii. 277; at þau væri skild, Grág. i. 307; vóru þau þá skilið, Nj. 268:—s. við e-n, to part from; sá er skiliðr við konuna, Grág. i. 33; segja skilið við, konu, bónda, to declare oneself separated from, Nj. 14, 50; ef kona skilsk við bónda sinn ( divorces), 656 A. 15; hvar hann skildisk við Þórólf, Ld. 44: to forsake. Fms. i. 34, Nj. 250; s. við mál e-s, Ld. 308, Nj. 177; þeir er ekki vildu við skiljask ( leave off) ok láta af heiðninni, Fms. iv. 144.

2. recipr. to part company; at vit skilimk í orrostu, Eg 293; þótt vit skilimk, Korm. 88; þeir skiljask fóstrar, Fms. xi. 99; skildusk þeir með blíðskap. feðgar, Eg. 790.

β. to be divorced, Grág. i. 325, 326, K. Á. 116.

II. impers., e-m skilsk e-t, ‘it skills one’, one perceives; honum hafði þat skilisk, Eg. 715; haun kenndi honum atferli—Nú skaltú vita hvárt mér hafi skilisk, Ísl. ii. 206; konunginum skildusk vel orð jarls, Fms. xi. 13; má mér þat eigi skiljask, Sks. 61; hón lét sér þat ok vel skiljask, to make up one’s mind to it, Hkr. ii. 88; Barði lætr sér skiljask at svá er, Ísl. ii. 327; þú vill þér ekki skiljask (láta) þat er á mót er þínum vilja. 625. 68.

III. part. skilinn, q. v.

* * *

(slæ; sló, slógum; sleginn; pret. also sleri), v.

1) to smite, strike (slá e-n högg, kinnhest);

2) slá hörpu, fiðlu, to strike the harp, fiddle;

slá slag, to strike up a tune;

slá leik, to strike up, begin, a game;

slá vef, to strike the web, to weave;

3) to hammer, forge (slá gull, silfr, sverð);

slá e-t e-u, to mount with (járnum sleginn);

4) to cut grass, mow (slá hey, töðu, tún, eng);

5) to slay, kill (síns bróður sló hann handbana);

6) fig., slá kaupi, to strike a bargain;

slá máli í sátt, to refer a matter to arbitration;

slá fylking, to draw up a line of battle;

slá hring um, to surround;

slá manngarð, mannhring, to form a ring of men round;

slá eldi í e-t, to set fire to;

slá landtjöldum, to pitch a tent, or also, to strike a tent, take it down;

slá festum, to unmoor a ship;

slá netjum, to put out the nets;

slá hundum lausum, to slip the hounds;

7) with preps.:

slá e-t af, to cut off;

slá e-n af, to kill, slaughter;

slá á e-t, to take to a thing;

slá á glens ok glúmur, to take to play and sport;

slá á heit, to take to making a vow;

slá e-u á sik, to take upon one-self;

slá á sik sótt, to feign illness;

slá á sik úlfúð, to show anger or ill-will;

ekki skaltu slíku á þik slá, do not betake thyself to that;

impers., sló á hann hlátri, he was taken with a fit of laughter;

sló ótta á marga, many were seized with fear;

því slær á, at, it so happens that;

ljóssi sleri (= sló) fyrir hann, a light flashed upon him;

slá í deilu, to begin quarrelling (eitt kveld, er þeir drukku, slógu þeir í deilu mikla);

impers., slær í e-t, it arises;

slær þegar í bardaga, it came to a fight;

slá niðr e-u, to put an end to;

nú er niðr slegit allri vináttu, now there is an end to all friendship;

slá sér niðr, to lie down, take to one’s bed;

slá e-n niðr, to kill;

slá e-u saman, to join (þeir slá þá saman öllu liðinu í eina fylking);

slá til e-s, to aim a blow at one, strike at one;

slá undan höfuð-bendunum, to slacken the stays;

slá e-u upp, to spread a report;

slá upp herópi, to raise the war-cry;

impers., loganum sló upp ór keröldunum, the flame burst out of the vessels;

slá út e-u, to pour out (þá er full er mundlaugin, gengr hón ok slær út eitrinu);

slá e-u við, to take into use (þá var slegit við öllum búnaði);

slá við segli, to spread the sail;

ek hefi þó náliga öllu við slegit, því er ek hefi í minni fest, I have put forth almost all that I recollected;

slá beizli við hest, to put a bridle on a horse;

e-u slær yfir, it comes over, arises (slær yfir þoku svá myrkri, at engi þeirra sá annan);

8) refl., slást;

(sláða, sláðr), v. to bar (hliðit var slát rammliga).

(pl. slár), f. bar, bolt, cross-beam (slá ein var um þvert skipit).

* * *

pres. slæ, slær, slær; pl. slám (m. sláum), sláið, slá: pret. sló, slótt, slóttú (mod. slóst, slóstu), sló; pl. slógu (slósk = slógusk, Sturl. ii. 208 C): subj. slægi: imperat. slá, sláðú: part. sleginn: a pret. sleri or slöri occurs as a provincialism in the old vellum Ágrip—sløru, Fms. x. 403; sleri, 394; slæri, i. e. slöri, 379: [Ulf. slahan = τύπτειν, παίειν; A. S. sleân, slæge; Engl. slay; Dan.-Swed. slaa; O. H. G. slahan; Germ. schlagen.]

A. To smite, strike, Dropl. 13; slá með steini, Fms. viii. 388; slá e-n til bana, ii. 183; slá e-n högg, kinnhest, i. 150, ix. 469, 522, Ld. 134; slá knött, Vígl. 24; slá til e-s, to strike at one, Finnb. 306, Sturl. ii. 24 C; slá í höfuð e-m, Fms. v. 173.

2. slá hörpu, fiðlu, to strike the harp, fiddle, Vsp. 34, Fdda 76, Am. 62, Bs. i. 155, Fb. i. 348, Fms. vii. 356 (in a verse), Sks. 704, Grett. 168 (hörpu-sláttr); slá hljóðfæri, Fms, iii. 184; slá slag, to strike up a tune; hann sló þann slag, … sló hann þá Gýgjar-slag… þann streng er hann hafði ekki fyrr slegit, Fas. iii. 222, 223, cp. drápa and drepa: slá leik, to strike up for a dance or game to begin, hann sá at leikr var sleginn skamt frá garði, Sturl. ii. 190; so in embroidery (see borð), slá danz, 117, Karl. 52: slá eld, to strike fire, Fms. ix. 234: slá vef, to strike the loom, in weaving, xi. 49, Darr.; slá borða, Fas. i. 193, 205.

3. to hammer, forge; slá hamri, Vkv. 18; slá sverð, Þiðr. 21; slá þvertré af silfri í hofit, Landn. 313; slá saum, Fms. ii. 218, ix. 377, Stj. 451; hann sló gull rautt, Vkv. 5; slá herspora, Fms. vii. 183; sleginn fram broddr ferstrendr, Eg. 285; slá öxar eða gref, Stj. 451: to mount, járnum sleginn, Fms. v. 339, Fas. iii. 574: to strike off, of coin.

4. to mow, cut grass; slegin tún, Nj. 112; þrælar níu slógu hey, Edda 48; ek mun láta bera út ljá í dag ok slá undir sem mest … slá töðu, Eb. 150, Fb. i. 522; slá teig þann er heitir Gullteigr, Ísl. ii. 344; slá afrétt, Grág. ii. 303; slá eng, 281, Gþl. 360: absol., þeir slóu (sic) allir í skyrtum, Ísl. ii. 349, Grág. ii. 281.

5. to slay, smite, kill, Stj. passim, but little used in classical writings, where drepa is the word; sverði sleginn, 656 C. 4; slá af, to slay. Bs. ii. 56, 89, Stj. 183; slá af hest, to kill a horse, send it to the knacker: to smite with sickness, slá með likþrá, blindleik, blindi, Stj.; harmi sleginn, Fms. iii. 11.

II. metaph. phrases; slá kaupi, to strike a bargain, Ld. 30, Fms. ii. 80; slá máli í sátt, to put it to arbitration, Fms. x. 403; slá kaupi saman, Fb. ii. 79: slá fylking, to dress up a line of battle, Fms. viii. 408; slá öllu fólki í mannhringa, x. 229; slá hring um, to surround, Nj. 275. Fas. ii. 523; slá manngarð, mannhring, to form a ring of men round, Eg. 80, 88, Fms. viii. 67, x. 229; eldi um sleginn, Sól.: slá í lás, to slam, lock, Sturl. i. 63: slá eldi í, to set fire to, Fms. vii. 83, xi. 420, Hdl. 47; slá beisli við hest, to put a bridle in a horse’s mouth. Fas. ii. 508: slá landtjöldum, to pitch a tent, Eg. 291, Fms. ii. 264; or also, to strike a tent, take it down, Fær. 147; slá landtjalds-stöngunum, to loosen them, Hkr. i. 26; slá festum, to unmoor a ship, ii. 222, Fms. viii. 288, 379; slá undan höfuð-bendunum, to slacken the stays, Al. 67; slá netjum, to put out the nets. Bs. ii. 145; slá hundum (or slá hundum lausum, Fms. ii. 174, x. 326), to slip the hounds, Hom. 120.

2. with prepp.; slá e-n við, to display; slá við segli, to spread the sail, Fas. ii. 523; þá var slegit við öllum búnaði, all was taken into use, Fms. x. 36; ek hefi þó náliga öllu við slegit, því er ek hefi í minni fest, I have put forth all that I recollected, Bs. i. 59: slá e-n upp, to spread a report (upp-sláttr), Fms, viii. 232, ix. 358: slá niðr, to throw down, Hom. 110; hann sló sér niðr, he lay down, Fms. ii. 194; hann slær sér niðr ( takes to his bed) sem hann sé sjúkr, Stj. 520; nú er niðr slegit allri vináttu, an end to all friendship, Fms. vi. 286, xi. 72: slá út, to throw out, N. G. L. i. 31; slá út eitrinu, to pour it out, Edda 40: slá saman liðinu, to join the army, Fms. x. 268: slá upp ópi, to strike up, raise a cry, viii. 414, Fb. ii. 125: slá í sundr kjöptunum, ii. 26: slá á e-t, to take to a thing; slá á glens ok glímur, he took to play and sport, Fms. ii. 182; hann sló á fagrmæli við þá, begun flattering, Nj. 167; slá í rán, to betake oneself to robbery, Stj. 400: slá á heit, to take to making a vow, Fs. 91: slá á, to take on oneself; slá á sik sótt, to feign illness, Fms. vi. 32; slá á sik úlfúð, to show anger, ill-will, Eb. 114; skaltú ekki slíku á þik slá, at þrá eptir einni konu, do not betake thyself to that, Ísl. ii. 250: slá e-u af, to put off; eg hefi slegið því af.

III. impers., it strikes or breaks out to a thing, i. e. the thing happens; loganum sló út um keröldin, flames broke out round the casks, Fms. i. 128; þá sleri ljósi fyrir hann sem elding væri, x. 394; sló á hann hlátri, he was taken in a fit of laughter, vii. 150; sló ópi á herinn, the men fell a-shouting, viii. 225; þá sleri á uþefjani ok ýldu, x. 379; sló þá í verkjum fyrir brjóstið, Sturl. ii. 127 C. Bs. i. 119; sló þá felmt ok flótta á liðit, the men were panic-stricken and took to flight, Fms. i. 45; þótt þunga eðr geispa slái á hana, vi. 199; sló mikilli hræðslu á konu þá, viii. 8; sló ifa í skap honum, 655 xii. 3, Stj. 424; því slær á ( it so happens), at hann réttir höndina í ljósit, Bs. i. 462; slær þegar í bardaga, it came to a fight, Fms. xi. 32; sló með þeim í mestu deilu, x. 99; í kappmæli, Fb. i. 327; hér slær í allmikit úefni, Nj. 246; var mjök í gadda slegit, at hann mundi fá hennar (cp. Dan. klapped og klart), 280; þá sló því á þá, at þeir fóru í á með net, Bs. i. 119.

B. Reflex. to throw oneself, betake oneself; slósk hón at fram eldinum, she rushed to the fireside, Fms iv. 339; slásk á bak e-m, to go behind another, Sturl. i. 197 C; slásk aptr, to draw back; gæta þess at eigi slægisk aptr liðit, Ó. H. 214; þeir kómu í Valadal, ok slósk (sic = slógusk) þar inn, broke into the houses, Sturl. ii. 208 C; þá slógusk í Suðreyjar víkingar, Vikings infested, invaded the islands, Fms. i. 245; slásk í för með e-m, to join another in a journey, xi. 129; ef nokkurr slæsk í mat eðr mungát, ok rækir þat meirr enn þingit, Gþl. 15; hann slósk á tal við Guðrúnu, entered into conversation with G., Nj. 129; slásk í sveit með e-m, Ó. H. 202; slásk á spurdaga við e-n, to ask questions, Sks. 302 B; slásk á svikræði, Fms. vi. 179. ☞ The slæsk in Ld. 144 is an error for slævask, see sljófa.

II. recipr. to fight; hann slóst við Enska í hafi, Ann. 1420, cp. Dan. slaaes, but it is unclass., for berjask is the right word.

III. part. sleginn; með slegnu hári, with dishevelled hair, Finnb. 250: hón var mörgu sleginn, whimsical, Gþl. 3 (= blandin): sleginn, surrounded, Akv. 14, 29; sleginn regni, beaten with rain, Vtkv. 5: sleginn, coined, N. G. L. i. 5.

d and t, to hand over, Lv. 6, Dipl. ii. 14, 16; a. skuld, to pay a debt, Vápn. 41; a. heit, to pay a vow, Bs. i. 121.

n. mostly or always in pl. vows to a god, saint, or the like, invocations, Hkr. i. 14, ii. 386; hón (the goddess Freyja) er nákvæmust mönnum til áheita, Edda 16, Bs. i. 134.

β. sing. in a peculiar sense; meir af nauðsyn en af áheiti, more of impulse than as a free vow, Magn. 534.

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.

(-da, -dr), v. to perform, fulfil (efna orð sín, sætt, heit);

refl., efnast, to turn out in a certain way (efndist þat ok vel; þat efnist opt illa).

(að), v. to prepare, make arrangements for a thing (e. til vetrsetu, veizlu kaupstaðar).

* * *

d, (að, Nj. 189, Fms. ix. 453, xi. 286), [Swed. ämna; A. S. efnan, æfnan, = to perform]:—to perform, chiefly to fulfil a vow or the terms agreed upon; e. orð sín, to keep one’s word, Fms. i. 4; þat efndi Gunnarr, Nj. 45; þat skal ek e. sem ek hét þar um, Fms. i. 217; e. sætt, to fulfil an agreement, Nj. 258: Ólafr efnir vel við ambáttina, Olave behaved well to the handmaid, Ld. 156.

β. reflex. to turn out so and so, come to a certain issue; efndisk þat ok vel, Nj. 72; þat efnask (better efnisk) opt illa, it comes to a bad end, 189.

II. efna, að, to prepare for a thing, make arrangements; ekki er þess getið at hann efnaði til um fégjaldit, Fms. xi. 286; hann efnaði þar til vetrsetu, x. 1; þeir efnuðu til vetrsetu í Oslo, ix. 453; þar hafði Ólafr konungr efnat til kaupstaðar, king O. had there founded a town, iv. 93: efnaði Ólafr konungr þá til ágætrar veizlu, king O. made a great feast, ii. 133; þeir Ingjaldr efna þar seið, Ingjald made a great sacrifice, feast, Fs. 19.

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(-da, -dr), v.

1) to fell, make fall; fella víð, to fell timber; fella segl, to take down sails;

2) to kill, slay (in battle); fella e-n frá landi, to slay or dethrone (a king); fella fénað sinn, to lose one’s sheep or cattle from cold or hunger;

3) to cause to cease, abolish (fella blót ok blótdrykkjur); fella rœðu sína, to close one’s speech; fella niðr, to put an end to, abandon, give up (fella niðr þann átrúnað);

4) fella heitstrenging á sik, to bring down on one’s head the curse of a broken vow;

5) to tongue and groove, to fit; fella stokk á horn, to put a board on the horns of a savage bull;

6) fig., fella ást (hug) til e-s, to turn one’s mind (love) towards one, to fall in love with; fella bœn at e-m, to address prayer to one, to beg of one; fella sik við e-t, to fit oneself to a thing: fella sik mjök við umrœðuna, to take a warm parl in the debate.

1) framework, a framed board;

2) mouse-trap.

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u, f. [Engl. falling], framework, a framed board, Fas. i. 393.

part. bound by a vow, Sturl. iii. 240, Rd. 246.

m. a votive day; heitdagr Eyfirðinga, the first Tuesday in the month Einmánuðr ( April), a ‘day of vow’ at the end of the winter when fodder and food began to run short, vide Rd. ch. 7.