fra-waurhts

f. pretext; finna e-t til foráttu, to plead as one’s excuse.

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u, f., an older form forurtir, contr. foróttir, f. pl. occurs,—forutta-laust, Grág. i. 329, 377 (Kb. ii. 42 forótta-laust), 468; forátta-laust, Kb. i. 133, 136; but forátta, Nj. 15, Eb. 40: [Ulf. fra-waurhts = ἁμαρτιά; the etymology of the word seems to be ‘for’ in a privative sense, and ‘verk,’ cp. A. S. forwyrht = peccatum; in the Icel. it is used as a law term]:—a cause of forfeiture, an act whereby the other party has ‘forfeited’ his right, but it is not used in a criminal sense = Germ. verbrechen; ef honum þykkja forurtir til þess, Grág. l. c.: the phrase, forótta-laust or forurta-laust (foryfta-laust, N. G. L. i. 29, is a false reading), sine causa legali, Grág. l. c.: chiefly in divorce cases, the phrase, finna til foráttu, to plead as an excuse, Nj., Eb. l. c.

II. in mod. usage = forað; foráttu-brim, foráttu-veðr, n. a heavy surf, strong gale, etc.