svínfylkja

(-ta, -tr), v. to draw up in a wedge-shaded phalanx.

a. n., only in the phrase, fylkja hamalt, to draw up in a wedge shaped column (= svínfylkja).

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n. adj., only in the old phrase, fylkja hamalt, synonymous with svínfylkja, to draw up a wedge-shaped column in the form of a hog’s snout; thus defined, hann hefir svínfylkt her sínum—Hverr man Hringi hafa kennt hamalt at fylkja? ( who has taught king Ring to draw up the phalanx of hamalt?) … Hringr hafði svínfylkt öllu liði sínu, þá þótti þó svá þykk fylkingin yfir at sjá, at rani var í brjósti, Ring had drawn all his troops up in a hog-shaped column, so that the ranks looked all the deeper for the snout-formed shape of the front, Fas. i. 380; hildingr fylkti hamalt, a paraphrase from hann fylkti liði sínu svá, at rani var framan á fylkingar-brjóstinu, Fms. xi. 304: used of a column of ships in a sea-fight, vi. 314 (in a verse), cp. also Skv. 2. 23, Fas. ii. 40 (in a verse); a description of the cuneiform column is given in Sks. 384; in Skjöld. S. its invention is attributed to Odin himself, and it was a favourite battle array with the men of old.