value

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1) payment, tribute (rare);

2) recompense, return; æ sér til gildis gjöf ( see gjald 4);

3) repute, esteem (þegar þér komist í g. við höfðingja);

4) feast banquet (þá gengu Æsir at g. sínu);

5) guild, brotherhood.

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n. [gjalda; Ulf. gild = tribute, Luke xx. 22, Mark xii. 14; A. S. gild; Hel. geld; Frank. chalta; Germ. geld = money; it remains in Old Engl. weregild]:—payment, tribute; this sense is very rare, as gjald (q. v.) is the common word; chiefly used in compds, as nef-gildi, head-tax; baug-gildi, q. v.; skatt-gildi, a tax; skulda-gildi, payment of debts, Grág. i. 302.

2. recompense; in the saying, æ sér til gildis gjöf (mod. æ sér gjöf til gjalda), Hom. 146.

3. value; al-gildi, full-g., hálf-g., whole, full, half value; ið-gilði or í-gildi, equivalence; hon er karlmanns-ígildi.

β. worth, value, esteem; the phrase, vera í miklu, litlu, engu gildi, to be in great, small, no repute; án Drottins ráða er aðstoð manns í engu minsta gildi, Pass. 9. 2: freq. in mod. usage, but rare in old writers, þegar ér komizt í gildi við höfðingja eðr kærleika, Finnb. 266.

II. a banquet, feast, [cp. Dan. gilde; so called from the fee paid?], Eg. 20 sqq., Edda 45, 57, Fb. i. 283, Gþl. 178, freq. in old poems; the poetical mead is called Gauta g., Kormak; or gildi Grjótaldar, the cheer of the Giants; gefa úlfum gildi, to feast the wolves, Lex. Poët.; to this seems to belong the passage in Vsp. 27, hvárt skyldi Æsir afrað gjalda eðr skyldi goðin öll gildi eiga, where the eiga gildi means to hold a feast, with the notion of making a league or peaceful agreement, as opp. to gjalda afrað (q. v.), to pay tribute as a badge of submission.

III. in a technical sense, a guild, throughout England and Scandinavia during the Middle Ages; the first guilds in Norway were instituted by king Olave (1066–1093), Ólafr konungr lét setja Mikla-gildi í Níðarósi, ok mörg önnur í kaupstöðum, en áðr vóru hvirfings-drykkjur ( but before there were drinking-bouts), Fms. vi. 440: the guilds were secular brotherhoods or trades’ unions (and often became political clubs); they assumed the names of saints or sacred things, as Kross-g., Cross-guild; Ólafs-g., St. Olave’s guild (in Norway); Knúts-g., St. Canute’s guild (in Denmark), and so on: in Icel. this sense rarely occurs, mælti at einhverr vildis-manna ætti at hefja gildit, Sturl. i. 20; ok var gildit at Ólafs messu hvert sumar, 23; cp. also gildis-fundr, m. a guild-meeting, mentioned in Sturl. i. 58; and gildis-bændr, m. pl. guild-franklins, guild-brothers, 23, (about the middle of the 12th century); but guilds never took root in Icel.: gildis-skáli, a, m. a guild-hall, Fms. viii. 160, ix. 22, D. N. passim: gildis-tíð, n. a guild-term, Fms. viii. 151.

(pl. hundruð), n. hundred; tírœtt h. = 100; tólfrœtt h. = 120; hundruðum, by (in) hundreds; as value, one hundred and twenty ells of the stuff wadmal; h. frítt, a hundred paid in cattle; tólf hundruð mórend, twelve hundred in dark-striped wadmal; hundrað silfrs, ? the silver value of 120 ells (= 20 ounces).

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n. pl. hundruð; the form hund- (q. v.) only occurs in a few old compd words: [Goth. hunda, pl.; A. S. hund; O. H. G. hunt; the extended form in Hel. and old Frank, hundered; Germ. hundert; Dan. hundrede; Swed. hundra; the inflexive syllable is prob. akin to - ræðr in átt-ræðr]:—a hundred; the Scandinavians of the heathen time (and perhaps also all Teutonic people) seem to have known only a duo-decimal hundred (= 12 × 10 or 120); at that time 100 was expressed by tíu-tíu, cp. Ulf. taihun-taihund = ten-teen; Pal Vídalín says,—hundrað tólfrætt er sannlega frá heiðni til vor komið, en hið tíræða er líkast að Norðrlönd hafi ekki vitað af fyrr en Kristni kom hér og með henni lærdómr þeirrar aldar, Skýr. s. v. Hundrað (fine): but with the introduction of Christianity came in the decimal hundred, the two being distinguished by adjectives,—tólfrætt hundrað = 120, and tírætt hundrað = 100. But still the old popular duodecimal system continued in almost all matters concerned with economical or civil life, in all law phrases, in trade, exchange, property, value, or the like, and the decimal only in ecclesiastical or scholastic matters (chronology, e. g. Íb. ch. 1, 10). At the same time the word in speech and writing was commonly used without any specification of tírætt or tólfrætt, for, as Pal Vídalín remarks, every one acquainted with the language knew which was meant in each case; even at the present time an Icel. farmer counts his flocks and a fisherman his share (hlutr) by the duodecimal system; and everybody knows that a herd or share of one hundred and a half means 120 + 60 = 180. In old writers the popular way of counting is now and then used even in chronology and in computation, e. g. when Ari Frode (Íb. ch. 4) states that the year consists of three hundred and four days (meaning 364); the census of franklins given by the same writer (where the phrase is hundruð heil = whole or full hundreds) is doubtless reckoned by duodecimal, not decimal hundreds, Íb. ch. 10; and in the census of priests and churches taken by bishop Paul (about A. D. 1200) ‘tíræð’ is expressively added, lest duodecimal hundreds should be understood, Bs. i. 136. The Landn. (at end) contains a statement (from Ari?) that Iceland continued pagan for about a hundred years, i. e. from about 874–997 A. D. In the preface to Ólafs S., Snorri states that two duodecimal hundreds (tvau hundruð tólfræð) elapsed from the first colonisation of Iceland before historical writing began (i. e. from about A. D. 874–1115): levies of ships and troops are in the laws and Sagas counted by duodecimal hundreds, e. g. the body-guard of king Olave consisted of a hundred hirð-men, sixty house-carles and sixty guests, in all ‘two hundred’ men, i. e. 240, Mork. 126; the sons of earl Strút-Harald had a hundred men, of whom eighty were billetted out and forty returned, Fms. xi. 88, 89; hálft hundrað, a half hundred = sixty, Mork. l. c.

2. a division of troops = 120; hundraðs-flokkr, Fms. vi. (in a verse).

II. in indef. sense, hundreds, a host, countless number, see hund-, as also in the adverb, phrase, hundruðum, by hundreds (indefinitely), Fms. vi. 407, Þiðr. 275, 524: in mod. usage as adjective and indecl., except the pl. in -uð, thus hundruð ásauðum, Dipl. iv. 10.

B. As value, a hundred, i. e. a hundred and twenty ells of the stuff wadmal, and then simply value to that amount (as a pound sterling in English). All property, real as well as personal, is even at present in Icel. taxed by hundreds; thus an estate is a ‘twenty, sixty, hundred’ estate; a franklin gives his tithable property as amounting to so and so many hundreds. As for the absolute value of a hundred, a few statements are sufficient, thus e. g. a milch cow, or six ewes with lambs, counts for a hundred, and a hundrað and a kúgildi (cow’s value) are equal: the charge for the alimentation of a pauper for twelve months was in the law (Jb. 165) fixed to four hundred and a half for a male person, but three hundred and a half for a female; cp. also the phrase, það er ekki hundrað í hættunni, there is no hundred at stake, no great risk! In olden times a double standard was used,—the wool or wadmal standard, called hundrað talið = a hundred by tale, i. e. a hundred and twenty ells as stated above, and a silver standard, called hundrað vegit, a hundred by weight, or hundrað silfrs, a hundred in silver, amounting to two marks and a half = twenty ounces = sixty örtugar; but how the name hundred came to be applied to it is not certain, unless half an örtug was taken as the unit. It is probable that originally both standards were identical, which is denoted by the phrase, sex álna eyrir, six ells to an ounce, or a hundred and twenty ells equal to twenty ounces (i. e. wadmal and silver at par); but according as the silver coinage was debased, the phrases varied between nine, ten, eleven, twelve ells to an ounce (N. G. L. i. 80, 81, 387, 390, passim), which denote bad silver; whereas the phrase ‘three ells to an ounce’ (þriggja álna eyrir, Sturl. i. 163, passim, or a hundred in wadmal equal to half a hundred in silver) must refer either to a double ell or to silver twice as pure: the passage in Grág. i. 500 is somewhat obscure, as also Rd. 233: the words vegin, silfrs, or talin are often added, but in most cases no specification is given, and the context must shew which of the two standards is there meant; the wool standard is the usual one, but in cases of weregild the silver standard seems always to be understood; thus a single weregild (the fine for a man’s life) was one hundred, Njála passim.

2. the phrases, hundrað frítt, a hundred paid in cattle, Finnb. 236; tólf hundruð mórend, twelve hundred in dark striped wadmal, Nj. 225; hundrað í búsgögnum ok í húsbúningi, Vm. 65; hundraðs-gripr, hestr, hross, kapall, hvíla, sæng, rekkja, psaltari, etc., a beast, a horse, a bed, etc., of a hundred’s value, Am. 2, 10, Vm. 25, 39, 60, 153, Jm. 3, 30; hundraðs-úmagi, a person whose maintenance costs a hundred, Vm. 156; hundraðs virði, a hundred’s value, 68. For references see the Sagas and laws passim, and for more information see Mr. Dasent’s Essay in Burnt Njal.

C. A hundred, a political division which in olden times was common to all Teut. nations, but is most freq. in old Swedish laws, where several hundreds made a hérað or shire; cp. the A. S. and Engl. hundred, Du Cange hundredum; old Germ. hunderti, see Grimm’s Rechts Alterthümer; the centum pagi of Caesar, Bell. Gall. iv. ch. 1, is probably the Roman writer’s misconception of the Teut. division of land into hundreds; this is also the case with Tacit. Germ. ch. 12: cp. the Swed. local names Fjaðrunda-land, Áttundaland, and Tíunda-land, qs. Fjaðr-hunda land, Átthunda land, Tíhunda land, i. e. a combination of four, eight, ten hundreds. The original meaning was probably a community of a hundred and twenty franklins or captains. This division is not found in Icel.

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(met; mat, mátum; metinn), v.

1) to estimate, value; ef þeir kynni m. sik, if they could value themselves rightly, not puff themselves up; m. e-t mikils, lítils, einskis, to attach great, little, no value to; make much, little, nothing of; munu þín orð hér um einskis metin, thy words will be counted for naught;

2) m. e-t fjár (kaups, etc.), to put a money-value on, to charge for (aldri mat hann fjár lækning sína); m. e-t við e-n, to name a price to one for a thing; met þú við mik rekkjubúnaðinn, tell me the price of the bed-furniture; ok vil ek eigi m. við þik ( I will not charge you anything), heldr vil ek, at þú þiggir skikkjuna; to leave it to another to decide; allir mátu við Erling atkvæði um skírsluna, they all left it to E. to decide about the ordeal; við Þorkel met ek at fá þá hluti til, er hafa þarf, I leave it to Th. to provide the necessary things;

3) refl., metast til e-s, to be reckoned as, counted for (bað þá gera þá smíð, er til afbragðs mætist); m. e-t við, to contend about; ef þeir metast eiða við, if there is a contest about taking the oaths.

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mat, mátu, metinn: imperat. met (mettu); pret. subj. mæti seems not to occur, but a weak metti (from metja) is used, Fas. ii. 464: with neg. suff., pret. matkat ek, Fbr. (in a verse): in mod. usage a weak pret. matti, mattist, mettist is often used, eg mattist um við hann, ef eg metti það nokkurs, and the like; þeir möttust um hin efstu sæti, N. T., and the like: [Ulf. mitan = μετρειν; A. S. metan; Engl. mete; O. H. G. mezan; Germ. messen: Swed. mäta.]

B. To tax, value, absol. or with acc.; ef þeir kynni meta sik, if they would value themselves rightly, not puff themselves up, Fms. viii. 40; hón mat sik eigi minna heldr en hón mat konunginn, Sks. 461: metaph., þá á eigi at meta kviðburð þeirra, their verdict is void, Grág. i. 54.

2. with gen. of the price; meta mikils, lítils, to value at much, little; mátu menn þat mikils, er Rútr hafði sett leysingjann niðr á úleyfðri jörðu Höskuldar, Ld. 102; konungr mat þá mikils, valued them much, Eg. 73; munu þín orð hér um einskis metin, thy words will he counted for naught, Sturl. iii. 139

3. to value money, charge for, the price in gen.; synjat er þá fars ef leigu er metið, Grág. ii. 268; engi skal meta kaups leg at kirkju eða líksöng, K. Á. 72; mörgum veitti Rafn smíðir sínar ok alldri mat hann þær fjár, Bs. i. 645; aldrei mat hann fjár lækning sína, 643; meta eigi leigu, D. I. i. 320.

4. meta e-t við e-n, to charge one; met þú við mik rekkju-búnaðinn, Eb. 256; þeir spurðu hversu dýrt vera skyldi, hann kvaðsk ekki meta mundu við konung en bað þá hafa ef þeir vildi, Fb. i. 333: hafði Björn falat þessa skikkju ok var af metinn, out-bidden, 577: to mete a thing out to one, to leave a thing to another to do: ætla ek at vér skylim ekki við aðra meta (= metask á við aðra) at skipta höggum við Ólaf ef vér komumk í færi um þat, i. e. we will do it ourselves, Ó. H. 214; allir mátu við Erling atkvæði um skírsluna, they all put to E. to decide about the ordeal, Fb. 11. 195; flestir munu hér meta svör við Þorleif, Sturl. iii. 139; en við Þorkel met ek, at fá þá hluti til er hafa þarf, but I will leave it to Th. to provide the necessary things, Þorf. Karl. 378; þetta höfuð mundi eigi við aðra meta at mæla eptir hann, ef þess þyrfti við, Eb. 126; en allir mátu við Fjölni þvíat hann var þeirra vitrastr ok mest virðr, Fms. xi. 64.

II. reflex., þá á lands-drottinn í lóðinni svá mikit sem húsit metzk. Gþl. 330; sem hús metzk, 333; þá smíð er til afbragðs mettisk, Fas. ii. 464; sakir er til brautgangs mætti metask, Ld. 52.

2. recipr., metask við, to contend; ef þeir metask eiða við þá skulu þeir hluta með sér, if there be a confest about taking the oaths they shall draw lots, Grág. i. 9; en ef goðarnir metask þat við, hvárr þeirra skal fá honum ok skal …, 33:—metask um e-t, to contend who is to be the first; síðan gengu þeir at dyrrunum ok möttusk þeir um hverr fyrst skyldi inn ganga, Þorst. hv. 43 (Ed. möttust from a paper MS.)

3. part., hann var vel metinn ( esteemed) hvar sem hann kom, Ld. 100, Nj. 7.

(gen. sing. alnar or álnar; pl. alnar or álnir), f. = öln;

1) the old Icelandic ell (about half a yard);

2) unit of value, an ell of woollen stuff (alin vaðmáls), = one sixth of an ounce(eyrir).

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f. A dissyllabic form alun appears in old poetry, v. Lex. Poët. In early prose writers a monosyllabic form öln prevails in nom. dat. acc. sing., D. I. i. 310. l. 22 (MS. of the year 1275), 314. l. 16 (MS. year 1250), 311, 312. l. 16, 313. l. 7, 89. l. 1. Nom. pl., α. the old, alnar; β. the later, alnir: the former in -ar, in D. I. i. 309 (a MS. of the year 1275), 310–312 (MS. year 1370), 313, 316. l. 19, 318. 1. 15. The pl. in -ir, D. I. i. 89 sqq., in MSS. of the 13th and 14th centuries. In the contracted form aln- the simple radical vowel soon became a diphthongal á, viz. álnar, álnir, álnum, álna, and is at present so spelt and pronounced. We find an acute accent indeed in álna (gen pl.), D. I. i. 313. l. 25 (MS. year 1375), and dinar, id. l, 7; álnom, 1. 28; ölnum with changed vowel, N. G. L. i. 323 (in an Icel. transcript). The present declension is, nom. acc. alin, gen. álnar; pl. nom. acc. álnir, gen. álna, dat. alnum.

I. properly the arm from the elbow to the end of the middle finger [Gr. ώλένη, Lat. ulna, cp. A. S. el-boga, Engl. el-bow, etc.]; almost obsolete, but still found in the words ölbogi qs. öln-bogi, ‘elbow,’ and úlf-liðr, prop. uln- or óln-liðr, wrist, commonly pronounced unl-liðr [false etymol., v. Edda, p. 17]; cp. Ísl. Þjóðs. ii. 19, where tungl (luna) and unl- rhyme. Freq. in poetry in such compounds as alun-leygr, -brandr, ölun-grjót, alnar-gim, alin-leygr, the standing poët, name of gold and gems being ignis or lapis cubiti.

II. mostly metaph.:

1. an ell, [Ulf. aleina; A. S. eln; Engl. ell; O. H. G. elina; Dan. alen; Lat. ulna, cp. cubitum] ; the finger, arm, foot were the original standards for measure. The primitive ell measured the length from the elbow to the point of the second finger, and answered to about half a yard Engl. = 18 inches. The Icel. ell before the year 12OO measured just half a yard. About this year, by a law of bishop Paul, the ell was doubled into a stika, a stika being precisely = two ells = an Engl. ell of that time. To prevent the use of bad measure, a just and lawful stika (yard) was marked on the walls of the churches, esp. that at Thingvellir, as an authorised standard, Páls S. ch. 9, Bs. i. 135, D. I. i. 309, 316, Jb. Kb. 26; ensk lérept tveggja álna, English linen of two ells measure, id.; þat er mælt, at at graftar kirkju hverri skal mæla stiku lengd, þá er rétt sé at hafa til álna máls, ok megi menn þar til ganga ef á skilr um alnar, 309. During the whole of the 15th century the Icel. trade was mainly in British hands; thus the Engl. double ell probably prevailed till the end of the 15th or beginning of the 16th century. The Hanse Towns ell = 21 1/11 inches was then introduced, and abolished in the year 1776, when the Dan. ell = 24 inches came into use. At present the Hanse Towns ell is called Íslenzk alin (Icel. ell), and the original half-yard ell is quite obsolete; cp. Jón Sigurðsson in D. I. i. 306–308, and Pál Vidal. s. v. alin.

2. a unit of value, viz. an ell (half-yard measure) of woollen stuff (vaðmál); the vaðmál (Halliwell wadmal, Engl. woadmal, Orkn. and Shell, wadmaal and vadmel) was in Icel. the common medium of payment, whence an ell became the standard unit of value or property, whether in land or chattels; 120 ells make a hundred, v. that word. In D. I. i. 316 we are told that, about the year 1200, three ells were equal in value to one ounce of ordinary silver, whence the expression þriggja álna eyrir (a common phrase during the 13th century). The value of the ell of vaðmal, however, varied greatly; during the 11th and 12th centuries six ells made an ounce, D. I. i. 88. In Norway we find mentioned níu, ellifu álna aurar (nine, eleven ells to an ounce). In Grág. (Kb.) ii. 192, § 245, it is said that, about the year 1000, four ells in Icel. made an ounce, and so on; vide Dasent, Essay in 2nd vol. of Burnt Njal., and Pal Vidal. s. v. alin.

COMPDS: álnarborð, álnarbreiðr, alnarkefli, álnartíund, álnarvirði, álnasök.

I) prep.

A. with dative.

I. Of motion;

1) towards, against;

Otkell laut at Skamkatli, bowed down to S.;

hann sneri egginni at Ásgrími, turned the edge against A.;

2) close atup to;

Brynjólfr gengr alit at honum, quite up to him;

þeir kómust aldri at honum, they could never get near him, to close quarters with him;

3) to, at;

koma at landi, to come to land;

ganga at dómi, to go into court;

4) along (= eptir);

ganga at stræti, to walk along the street;

dreki er niðr fór at ánni (went down the river) fyrir strauminum;

refr dró hörpu at ísi, on the ice;

5) denoting hostility;

renna (sœkja) at e-m, to rush at, assault;

gerði þá at þeim þoku mikla, they were overtaken by a thick fog;

6) around;

vefja motri at höfði sér, to wrap a veil round one’s head;

bera grjót at e-m, to heap stones upon the body;

7) denoting business, engagement;

ríða at hrossum, at sauðum, to go looking after horses, watching sheep;

fara at landskuldum, to go collecting rents.

II. Of position, &c.;

1) denoting presence at, near, by, upon;

at kirkju, at church;

at dómi, in court;

at lögbergi, at the hill of laws;

2) denoting participation in;

vera at veizlu, brullaupi, to be at a banquet, wedding;

vera at vígi, to be an accessory in man-slaying;

3) ellipt., vera at, to be about, to be busy at;

kvalararnir, er at vóru at pína hann, who were tormenting him;

var þar at kona nökkur at binda (was there busy dressing) sár manna;

4) with proper names of places (farms);

konungr at Danmörku ok Noregi, king of;

biskup at Hólum, bishop of Holar;

at Helgafelli, at Bergþórshváli;

5) used ellipt. with a genitive, at (a person’s) house;

at hans (at his house) gisti fjölmenni mikit;

at Marðar, at Mara’s home;

at hins beilaga Ólafs konungs, at St. Olave’s church;

at Ránar, at Ran’s (abode).

III. Of time;

1) at, in;

at upphafi, at first, in the beginning;

at skilnaði, at parting, when they parted;

at páskum, at Easter;

at kveldi, at eventide;

at þinglausnum, at the close of the Assembly;

at fjöru, at the ebb;

at flœðum, at the floodtide;

2) adding ‘komanda’ or ‘er kemr’;

at ári komanda, next year;

at vári, er kemr, next spring;

generally with ‘komanda’ understood;

at sumri, hausti, vetri, vári, next summer, &c.;

3) used with an absolute dative and present or past part.;

at sér lifanda, duing his lifetime;

at öllum ásjándum, in the sight of all;

at áheyranda höfðingjanum, in the hearing of the chief;

at upprennandi sólu, at sunrise;

at liðnum sex vikum, after six weeks are past;

at honum önduðum, after his death;

4) denoting uninterrupted succession, after;

hverr at öðrum, annarr at öðrum, one after another;

skildu menn at þessu, thereupon, after this;

at því (thereafter) kómu aðrar meyjar.

IV. fig. and in various uses;

1) to, into, with the notion of destruction or change;

brenna (borgina) at ösku, to burn to ashes;

verða at ormi, to become a snake;

2) for, as;

gefa e-t at gjöf, as a present;

eiga e-n at vin, to have one as friend;

3) by;

taka sverð at hjöltum, by the hilt;

draga út björninn at hlustunum, by the ears;

kjósa at afli, álitum, by strength, appearrance;

4) as regards as to;

auðigr at fé, wealthy in goods;

vænn (fagr) at áliti, fair of face;

5) as a law term, on the grounds of, by reason of;

ryðja ( to challenge) dóm at mægðum, kvið at frændsemi;

6) as a paraphrase of a genitive;

faðir, móðir at barni (= barns, of a child);

aðili at sök = aðili sakar;

7) with adjectives denoting colour, size, age, of;

hvítr, svartr, rauðr at lit, while, black, red of colour;

mikill, lítill at stœrð, vexti, tall, small of stature;

tvítugr at aldri, twenty years of age;

kýr at fyrsta, öðrum kálfi, a cow that has calved once, twice;

8) determining the source from which anything comes, of, from;

Ari nam ok marga frœði at Þuríði (from her);

þiggja, kaupa, geta, leigja e-t at e-m, to receive, buy, obtain, borrow a thing from one;

hafa veg (virðing) styrk at e-m, to derive honour, power, from one;

9) according, to, after (heygðr at fornum sið);

at ráði allra vitrustu manna, by the advice of;

at landslögum, by the law of the land;

at vánum, as was to be expected;

at leyfi e-s, by one’s leave;

10) in adverbial phrases;

gróa (vera grœddr) at heilu, to be quite healed;

bíta af allt gras at snøggu, quite bare;

at fullu, fully;

at vísu, surely;

at frjálsu, freely;

at eilífu, for ever and ever;

at röngu, at réttu, wrongly, rightly;

at líku, at sömu, equally, all the same;

at mun, at ráði, at marki, to a great extent.

B. with acc., after, upon (= eptir);

sonr á at taka arf at föður sinn, to take the inheritance after his father;

eiga féránsdóm at e-n, to hold a court of execution upon a person;

at þat (= eptir þat), after that, thereafter;

connected with a past part. or a., at Gamla fallinn, after the fall of Gamli;

at Hrungni dauðan, upon the death of Hrungnir.

1) as the simple mark of the infinitive, to;

at ganga, at ríða, at hlaupa, to walk, to ride, to run;

2) in an objective sense;

hann bauð þeim at fara, sitja, he bade (ordered) them to go, sit;

gefa e-m at eta, at drekka, to give one to eat, to drink;

3) denoting design or purpose, in order to (hann gekk í borg at kaupa silfr).

1) demonstrative particle before a comparative, the, all the, so much the;

hón grét at meir, she wept the more;

þykkir oss at líkara, all the more likely;

þú ert maðr at verri (so much the worse), er þú hefir þetta mælt;

2) rel. pron., who, which, that (= er);

þeir allir, at þau tíðindi heyrðu, all those who heard;

sem þeim er títt, at ( as is the custom of those who) kaupferðir reka.

conj., that;

1) introducing a subjective or objective clause;

þat var einhverju sinni, at Höskuldr hafði vinaboð, it happened once that H.;

vilda ek, at þú réðist austr í fjörðu, I should like you to go;

2) relative to svá, denoting proportion, degree;

svá mikill lagamaðr, at, so great a lawyer, that;

3) with subj., denoting end or purpose, in order that (skáru þeir fyrir þá (viz. hestana) melinn, at þeir dœi eigi af sulti);

4) since, because, as (= því at);

5) connected with þó, því, svá;

þó at (with subj.), though, although;

því at, because, for;

svá at, so that;

6) temp., þá at (= þá er), when;

þegar at (= þegar er), as soon as;

þar til at (= þar til er), until, till;

áðr at (= á. en), before;

7) used superfluously after an int. pron. or adv.;

Ólafr spurði, hvern styrk at hann mundi fá honum, what help he was likely to give him;

in a relative sense; með fullkomnum ávexti, hverr at (which) þekkr ok þægiligr mun verða.

negative verbal suffix, = ata; var-at, was not.

n. an incited conflict or fight ( see etja);

odda at, Yggs at, battle.

* * *

and að, prep., often used ellipt. dropping the case and even merely as an adverb, [Lat. ad; Ulf. at = πρός and παρά, A. S. ät; Engl. at; Hel. ad = apud; O. H. G. az; lost in mod. Germ., and rare in Swed. and Dan.; in more freq. use in Engl. than any other kindred language, Icel. only excepted]:—the mod. pronunciation and spelling is að (aþ); this form is very old, and is found in Icel. vellum MSS. of the 12th century, e. g. aþ, 623. 60; yet in earlier times it was sounded with a tenuis, as we may infer from rhymes, e. g. jöfurr hyggi at | hve ek yrkja fat, Egill: Sighvat also makes it rhyme with a t. The verse by Thorodd—þar vastu at er fjáðr klæðið þvat (Skálda 162)—is hardly intelligible unless we accept the spelling with an aspirate (að), and say that þvað is = þvá = þváði, lavabat; it may be that by the time of Thorodd and Ari the pure old pronunciation was lost, or is ‘þvat’ simply the A. S. þvât, secuit? The Icelanders still, however, keep the tenuis in compounds before a vowel, or before h, v, or the liquids l, r, thus—atyrða, atorka, athöfn, athugi, athvarf, athlægi; atvinna, atvik; atlaga, atlíðanði ( slope), atriði, atreið, atróðr: but aðdjúpr, aðfinsla (critic), aðferð, aðkoma, aðsókn, aðsúgr (crowding), aðgæzla. In some words the pronunciation is irregular, e. g. atkvæði not aðkv-; atburðr, but aðbúnaðr; aðhjúkran not athjúkran; atgörvi not aðgörfi. At, to, towards; into; against; along, by; in regard to; after.

Mostly with dat.; rarely with acc.; and sometimes ellipt.—by dropping the words ‘home,’ ‘house,’ or the like—with gen.

WITH DAT.

A. LOC.

I. WITH MOTION; gener. the motion to the borders, limits of an object, and thus opp. to frá:

1. towards, against, with or without the notion of arrival, esp. connected with verbs denoting motion (verba movendi et eundi), e. g. fara, ganga, koma, lúta, snúa, rétta at…; Otkell laut at Skamkatli, O. louted (i. e. bowed down) towards S., Nj. 77, Fms. xi. 102; sendimaðrinn sneri ( turned) hjöltum sverðsins at konungi, towards the king, i. 15; hann sneri egginni at Ásgrími, turned the edge towards A., Nj. 220; rétta e-t at e-m, to reach, hand over, Ld. 132; ganga at, to step towards, Ísl. ii. 259.

2. denoting proximity, close up to, up to; Brynjólfr gengr … allt at honum, B. goes quite up to him, Nj. 58; Gunnarr kom þangat at þeim örunum, G. reached them even there with his arrows, 115; þeir kómust aldri at honum, they could never get near him, to close quarters, id.; reið maðr at þeim (up to them), 274; þeir höfðu rakit sporin allt at ( right up to) gammanum, Fms. i. 9; komu þeir at sjó fram, came down to the sea, Bárð. 180.

3. without reference to the space traversed, to or at; koma at landi, to land, Ld. 38, Fms. viii. 358; ríða at dyrum, Boll. 344; hlaupa at e-m, to run up to, run at, Fms. vii. 218, viii. 358; af sjáfarganginum er hann gekk at landinu, of the surf dashing against the shore, xi. 6; vísa ólmum hundi at manni, to set a fierce hound at a man, Grág. ii. 118; leggja e-n at velli, to lay low, Eg. 426, Nj. 117; hníga at jörðu, at grasi, at moldu, to bite the dust, to die, Njarð. 378; ganga at dómi, a law term, to go into court, of a plaintiff, defendant, or bystander, Nj. 87 (freq.)

4. denoting a motion along, into, upon; ganga at stræti, to walk along the street, Korm. 228, Fms. vii. 39; at ísi, on the ice, Skálda 198, Fms. vii. 19, 246, viii. 168, Eb. 112 new Ed. (á is perh. wrong); máttu menn ganga bar yfir at skipum einum, of ships alone used as a bridge, Fas. i. 378; at höfðum, at nám, to trample on the slain on the battle-field, Lex. Poët.; at ám, along the rivers; at merkiósum, at the river’s mouth, Grág. ii. 355; at endilöngu baki, all along its back, Sks. 100.

5. denoting hostility, to rush at, assault; renna at, hlaupa at, ganga, fara, ríða, sækja, at e-m, (v. those words), whence the nouns atrenna, athlaup, atgangr, atför, atreið, atsókn, etc.

β. metaph., kom at þeim svefnhöfgi, deep sleep fell on them, Nj. 104. Esp. of weather, in the impers. phrase, hríð, veðr, vind, storm görir at e-m, to be overtaken by a snow storm, gale, or the like; görði þá at þeim þoku mikla, they were overtaken by a thick fog, Bárð. 171.

6. denoting around, of clothing or the like; bregða skikkju at höfði sér, to wrap his cloak over his head, Ld. 62; vefja motri at höfði sér, to wrap a snood round her head, 188; sauma at, to stick, cling close, as though sewn on; sauma at höndum sér, of tight gloves, Bs. i. 453; kyrtill svá þröngr sem saumaðr væri at honum, as though it were stitched to him, Nj. 214; vafit at vándum dreglum, tight laced with sorry tags, id.; hosa strengd fast at beini, of tight hose, Eg. 602; hann sveipar at sér iðrunum ok skyrtunni, he gathers up the entrails close to him and the skirt too, Gísl. 71; laz at síðu, a lace on the side, to keep the clothes tight, Eg. 602.

β. of burying; bera grjót at einum, to heap stones upon the body, Eg. 719; var gör at þeim dys or grjóti, Ld. 152; gora kistu at líki, to make a coffin for a body, Eb. 264, Landn. 56, Ld. 142.

γ. of summoning troops or followers; stefna at sér mönnum, to summon men to him, Nj. 104; stefna at sér liði, Eg. 270; kippa mönnum at sér, to gather men in haste, Ld. 64.

7. denoting a business, engagement; ríða at hrossum, at sauðum, to go looking after after horses, watching sheep, Glúm. 362, Nj. 75; fara at fé, to go to seek for sheep, Ld. 240; fara at heyi, to go a-haymaking, Dropl. 10; at veiðum, a-hunting; at fuglum, a-fowling; at dýrum, a-sbooting; at fiski, a-fishing; at veiðiskap, Landn. 154, Orkn. 416 (in a verse), Nj. 25; fara at landskuldum, to go a-collecling rents, Eg. 516; at Finnkaupum, a-marketing with Finns, 41; at féföngum, a-plundering, Fms. vii. 78; ganga at beina, to wait on guests, Nj. 50; starfa at matseld, to serve at table, Eb. 266; hitta e-n at nauðsynjum, on matters of business; at máli, to speak with one, etc., Fms. xi. 101; rekast at e-m, to pursue one, ix. 404; ganga at liði sér, to go suing for help, Grág. ii. 384.

β. of festivals; snúa, fá at blóti, veizlu, brullaupi, to prepare for a sacrificial banquet, wedding, or the like, hence at-fangadagr, Eb. 6, Ld. 70; koma at hendi, to happen, befall; ganga at sínu, to come by one’s own, to take it, Ld. 208; Egill drakk hvert full er at honum kom, drained every horn that came to him, Eg. 210; komast at keyptu, to purchase dearly, Húv. 46.

8. denoting imaginary motion, esp. of places, cp. Lat. spectare, vergere ad…, to look or lie towards; horfði botninn at höfðanum, the bight of the bay looked toward the headland, Fms. i. 340, Landn. 35; also, skeiðgata liggr at læknum, leads to the brook, Ísl. ii. 339; á þann arminn er vissi at sjánum, on that wing which looked toward the sea, Fms. viii. 115; sár þau er horft höfðu at Knúti konungi, xi. 309.

β. even connected with verbs denoting motion; Gilsáreyrr gengr austan at Fljótinu, G. extends, projects to F. from the east, Hrafh. 25; hjá sundi því, er at gengr þingstöðinni, Fms. xi. 85.

II. WITHOUT MOTION; denoting presence at, near, by, at the side of, in, upon; connected with verbs like sitja, standa, vera…; at kirkju, at church, Fms. vii. 251, K. f). K. 16, Ld. 328, Ísl. ii. 270, Sks. 36; vera at skála, at húsi, to be in, at home, Landn. 154; at landi, Fms. i. 82; at skipi, on shipboard, Grág. i. 209, 215; at oldri, at a banquet, inter pocula; at áti, at dinner, at a feast, inter edendum, ii. 169, 170; at samförum ok samvistum, at public meetings, id.; at dómi, in a court; standa (to take one’s stand) norðan, sunnan, austan, vestan at dómi, freq. in the proceedings at trials in lawsuits, Nj.; at þingi, present at the parliament, Grág. i. 142; at lögbergi, o n the hill of laws, 17, Nj.; at baki e-m, at the back of.

2. denoting presence, partaking in; sitja at mat, to sit at meat, Fms. i. 241; vera at veizlu, brullaupi, to be at a banquet, nuptials, Nj. 51, Ld. 70: a law term, vera at vígi, to be an accessory in manslaying, Nj. 89, 100; vera at e-u simply means to be about, be busy in, Fms. iv. 237; standa at máli, to stand by one in a case, Grág. ii. 165, Nj. 214; vera at fóstri, to be fostered, Fms. i. 2; sitja at hégóma, to listen to nonsense, Ld. 322; vera at smíð, to be at one’s work, Þórð. 62: now absol., vera at, to go on with, be busy at.

3. the law term vinna eið at e-u has a double meaning:

α. vinna eið at bók, at baugi, to make an oath upon the book by laying the band upon it, Landn. 258, Grág., Nj.; cp. Vkv. 31, Gkv. 3. 3, Hkv. 2. 29, etc.: ‘við’ is now used in this sense.

β. to confirm a fact (or the like) by an oath, to swear to, Grág. i. 9, 327.

γ. the law phrase, nefna vátta at e-u, of summoning witnesses to a deed, fact, or the like; nefna vátta at benjum, to produce evidence, witnesses as to the wounds, Nj., Grág.; at görð, Eg. 738; at svörum, Grág. i. 19: this summoning of witnesses served in old lawsuits the same purpose as modern pleadings and depositions; every step in a suit to be lawful must be followed by such a summoning or declaration.

4. used ellipt., vera at, to be about, to be busy at; kvalararnir er at vóru at pína hann, who were tormenting him; þar varstu at, you were there present, Skálda 162; at várum þar, Gísl. (in a verse): as a law term ‘vera at’ means to be guilty, Glúm. 388; vartattu at þar, Eg. (in a verse); hence the ambiguity of Glum’s oath, vask at þar, I was there present: var þar at kona nokkur ( was there busy) at binda sár manna, Fms. v. 91; hann var at ok smíðaði skot, Rd. 313; voru Varbelgir at ( about) at taka af, þau lög …, Fms. ix. 512; ek var at ok vafk, I was about weaving, xi. 49; þeir höfðu verit at þrjú sumur, they had been busy at it for three summers, x. 186 (now very freq.); koma at, come in, to arrive unexpectedly; Gunnarr kom at í því, G. came in at that moment; hvaðan komtú nú at, whence did you come? Nj. 68, Fms. iii. 200.

5. denoting the kingdom or residence of a king or princely person; konungr at Danmörk ok Noregi, king of…, Fms. i. 119, xi. 281; konungr, jarl, at öllum Noregi, king, earl, over all N., íb. 3, 13, Landn. 25; konungr at Dyflinni, king of Dublin, 25; but í or yfir England!, Eg. 263: cp. the phrase, sitja at landi, to reside, of a king when at home, Hkr. i. 34; at Joini, Fms. xi. 74: used of a bishop; biskup at Hólum, bishop of Hólar, Íb. 18, 19; but biskup í Skálaholti, 19: at Rómi, at Rome, Fbr. 198.

6. in denoting a man’s abode (vide p. 5, col. 1, l. 27), the prep. ‘at’ is used where the local name implies the notion of by the side of, and is therefore esp. applied to words denoting a river, brook, rock, mountain, grove, or the like, and in some other instances, by, at, e. g. at Hofi (a temple), Landn. 198; at Borg ( a castle), 57; at Helgafelli (a mountain), Eb. constantly so; at Mosfelli, Landn. 190; at Hálsi (a hill), Fms. xi. 22; at Bjargi, Grett. 90; Hálsum, Landn. 143; at Á ( river), 296, 268; at Bægisá, 212; Giljá, 332; Myrká, 211; Vatnsá, id.; þverá, Glúm. 323; at Fossi (a ‘force’ or waterfall), Landn. 73; at Lækjamoti (waters-meeting), 332; at Hlíðarenda ( end of the lithe or hill), at Bergþórshváli, Nj.; at Lundi (a grove), at Melum (sandhill), Landn. 70: the prep. ‘á’ is now used in most of these cases, e. g. á Á, á Hofi, Helgafelli, Felli, Hálsi, etc.

β. particularly, and without any regard to etymology, used of the abode of kings or princes, to reside at; at Uppsölum, at Haugi, Alreksstöðum, at Hlöðum, Landn., Fms.

γ. konungr lét kalla at stofudyrum, the king made a call at the hall door, Eg. 88; þeir kölluðu at herberginu, they called at the inn, Fms. ix. 475.

7. used ellipt. with a gen., esp. if connected with such words as gista, to be a guest, lodge, dine, sup (of festivals or the like) at one’s home; at Marðar, Nj. 4; at hans, 74; þingfesti at þess bóanda, Grág. i. 152; at sín, at one’s own home, Eg. 371, K. Þ. K. 62; hafa náttstað at Freyju, at the abode of goddess Freyja, Eg. 603; at Ránar, at Ran’s, i. e. at Ran’s house, of drowned men who belong to the queen of the sea, Ran, Eb. 274; at hins heilaga Ólafs konungs, at St. Olave’s church, Fms. vi. 63: cp. ad Veneris, εις Κίμωνος.

B. TEMP.

I. at, denoting a point or period of time; at upphafi, at first, in the beginning, Ld. 104; at lyktum, at síðustu, at lokum, at last; at lesti, at last, Lex. Poët., more freq. á lesti; at skilnaði, at parting, at last, Band. 3; at fornu, in times of yore, formerly, Eg. 267, D. I. i. 635; at sinni, as yet, at present; at nýju, anew, of present time; at eilífu, for ever and ever; at skömmu, soon, shortly, Ísl. ii. 272, v. l.

II. of the very moment when anything happens, the beginning of a term; denoting the seasons of the year, months, weeks, the hours of the day; at Jólum, at Yule, Nj. 46; at Pálmadegi, on Palm Sunday, 273; at Páskum, at Easter; at Ólafsvöku, on St. Olave’s eve, 29th of July, Fms.; at vetri, at the beginning of the winter, on the day when winter sets in, Grág. 1. 151; at sumarmálum, at vetrnáttum; at Tvímánaði, when the Double month (August) begins, Ld. 256, Grág. i. 152; at kveldi, at eventide, Eg. 3; at því meli, at that time; at eindaga, at the term, 395; at eykð, at 4 o’clock p. m., 198; at öndverðri æfi Abra hams, Ver. II; at sinni, now at once, Fms. vi. 71; at öðruhverju, every now and then.

β. where the point of time is marked by some event; at þingi, at the meeting of parliament (18th to the 24th of June), Ld. 182; at féránsdómi, at the court of execution, Grág. i. 132, 133; at þinglausnum, at the close of the parliament (beginning of July), 140; at festarmálum, eðr at eiginorði, at betrothal or nuptials, 174; at skilnaði, when they parted, Nj. 106 (above); at öllum minnum, at the general drinking of the toasts, Eg. 253; at fjöru, at the ebb; at flæðum, at flood tide, Fms. viii. 306, Orkn. 428; at hrörum, at an inquest, Grág. i. 50 (cp. ii. 141, 389); at sökum, at prosecutions, 30; at sinni, now, as yet, v. that word.

III. ellipt., or adding ‘komanda’ or ‘er kemr,’ of the future time:

1. ellipt., komanda or the like being understood, with reference to the seasons of the year; at sumri, at vetri, at hausti, at vári, next summer, winter…, Ísl. ii. 242; at miðju sumri, at ári, at Midsummer, next year, Fas. i. 516; at miðjum vetri, Fms. iv. 237,

2. adding ‘komanda’ or ‘er kemr;’ at ári komanda, Bárð. 177; at vári er kemr, Dipl. iii. 6.

IV. used with an absolute dat. and with a pres. part.:

1. with pres. part.; at morni komanda, on the coming morrow, Fms. i. 263; at sér lifanda, in vivo, in his life time, Grág. ii. 202; at þeim sofundum, illis dormientibus, Hkr. i. 234; at öllum ásjándum, in the sight of all, Fms. x. 329; at úvitanda konungi, illo nesciente, without his knowledge, 227; at áheyranda höfðingjanum, in the chief’s bearing, 235.

2. of past time with a past part. (Lat. abl. absol.); at hræjum fundnum, on the bodies being found, Grág. ii. 87; at háðum dómum ok föstu þingi, during the session, the courts being set, i. 484; at liðnum sex vikum, after six weeks past, Band. 13; at svá búnu, so goru, svá komnu, svá mæltu (Lat. quibus rebus gestis, dictis, quo facto, dicto, etc.), v. those words; at úreyndu, without trial, without put ting one to the test, Ld. 76; at honum önduðum, illo mortuo.

3. ellipt. without ‘at;’ en þessum hlutum fram komnum, when all this has been done, Eb. 132.

V. in some phrases with a slight temp, notion; at görðum gildum, the fences being strong, Gþl. 387; at vörmu spori, at once, whilst the trail is warm; at úvörum, unawares, suddenly, Nj. 95, Ld. 132; at þessu, at this cost, on that condition, Eb. 38, Nj. 55; at illum leiki, to have a narrow escape, now við illan leik, Fms. ix. 473; at því, that granted, Grág. ii. 33: at því, at pessu, thereafter, thereupon, Nj. 76.

2. denoting succession, without interruption, one after another; hverr at öðrum, annarr maðr at öðrum, aðrir at öðrum; eina konu at annarri, Eg. 91, Fms. ii. 236, vi. 25, Bs. i. 22, 625. 80, H. E. i. 522.

C. METAPH. and in various cases:

I. denoting a transformation or change into, to, with the notion of destruction; brenna at ösku, at köldum kolum, to burn to ashes, to be quite destroyed, Fms. i. 105, Edda 3, Sturl. ii. 51: with the notion of transformation or transfiguration, in such phrases as, verða at e-u, göra e-t at e-u, to turn it into:

α. by a spell; verða at ormi, to become a snake, Fms. xi. 158; at flugdrekum, Gullþ. 7; urðu þau bönd at járni, Edda 40.

β. by a natural process it can often be translated by an acc. or by as; göra e-n at urðarmanni, to make him an outlaw, Eg. 728; græða e-n at orkumlamanni, to heal him so as to maim him for life, of bad treatment by a leech, Eb. 244: in the law terms, sár görist at ben, a wound turning into a ben, proving to be mortal, Grág., Nj.; verða at ljúgvætti, to prove to be a false evidence, Grág. i. 44; verða at sætt, to turn into reconciliation, Fms. i. 13; göra e-t at reiði málum, to take offence at, Fs. 20; at nýjum tíðindum, to tell as news, Nj. 14; verða fátt at orðum, to be sparing of words, 18; kveðr (svá) at orði, to speak, utter, 10; verða at þrifnaði, to geton well, Fms. vii. 196: at liði, at skaða, to be a help or hurt to one; at bana, to cause one’s death, Nj. 223, Eg. 21, Grág. ii. 29: at undrum, at hlátri, to become a wonder, a laughing-stock, 623. 35, Eg. 553.

II. denoting capacity, where it may be translated merely by as or for; gefa at Jólagjöf, to give for a Christmas-box, Eg. 516; at gjöf, for a present; at erfð, at láni, launum, as an inheritance, a loan; at kaupum ok sökum, for buying and selling, Ísl. ii. 223, Grág. i. 423; at solum, ii. 204; at herfangi, as spoil or plunder; at sakbótum, at niðgjöldum, as a compensation, weregeld, i. 339, ii. 171, Hkr. ii. 168; taka at gíslingu, to take as an hostage, Edda 15; eiga e-n at vin, at óvin, to have one as friend or foe, illt er at eiga þræl at eingavin, ‘tis ill to have a thrall for one’s bosom friend (a proverb), Nj. 77; fæða, eiga, at sonum (syni), to beget a son, Edda 8, Bs. i. 60 (but eiga at dóttur cannot be said); hafa möttul at yfirhöfn, Fms. vii. 201; verða nökkut at manni (mönnum), to turn out to be a worthy man; verða ekki at manni, to turn out a worthless person, xi. 79, 268.

2. in such phrases as, verða at orðum, to come towards, Nj. 26; var þat at erindum, Eg. 148; hafa at veizlum, to draw veizlur ( dues) from, Fms. iv. 275, Eg. 647; gora e-t at álitum, to take it into consideration, Nj. 3.

III. denoting belonging to, fitting, of parts of the whole or the like; vóru at honum (viz. the sword) hjölt gullbúin, the sword was ornamented with a hilt of gold, Ld. 330; umgörð at ( belonging to) sverði, Fs. 97 (Hs.) in a verse; en ef mór er eigi at landinu, if there be no turf moor belonging to the land, Grág. ii. 338; svá at eigi brotnaði nokkuð at Orminum, so that no harm happened to the ship Worm, Fms. x. 356; hvatki er meiðir at skipinu eðr at reiðinu eðr at viðum, damage done t o …, Grág. ii. 403; lesta ( to injure) hús at lásum, við eðr torfi, 110; ef land hefir batnað at húsum, if the land has been bettered as to its buildings, 210; cp. the phrase, göra at e-u, to repair: hamlaðr at höndum eðr fótum, maimed as to hands or feet, Eg. 14; heill at höndum en hrumr at fótum, sound in band, palsied in foot, Fms. vii. 12; lykill at skrá, a key belonging, fitting, to the latch; hurð at húsi; a key ‘gengr at’ ( fits) skrá; and many other phrases. 2. denoting the part by which a thing is held or to which it belongs, by; fá, taka at…, to grasp by …; þú tókt við sverði hans at hjöltunum, you took it by the bill, Fms. i. 15; draga út björninn at hlustum, to pull out the bear by the ears, Fas. ii. 237; at fótum, by the feet, Fms. viii. 363; mæla ( to measure) at hrygg ok at jaðri, by the edge or middle of the stuff, Grág. i. 498; kasta e-m at höfði, head foremost, Nj. 84; kjósa e-n at fótum, by the feet alone, Edda 46; hefja frændsemi at bræðrum, eða at systkynum, to reckon kinship by the brother’s or the sister’s side, Grág. i. 28; kjósa at afli, at álitum, by strength, sight, Gs. 8, belongs rather to the following.

IV. in respect of, as regards, in regard to, as to; auðigr at fé, wealthy of goods, Nj. 16, 30, 51; beztir hestar at reið, the best racehorses, 186; spekingr at viti, a man of great intellect, Ld. 124; vænn (fagr) at áliti, fair of face, Nj. 30, Bs. i. 61; kvenna vænst at ásjónu ok vits munum, of surpassing beauty and intellect, Ld. 122; fullkominn at hyggju, 18; um fram aðra menn at vinsældum ok harðfengi, of surpassing popularity and hardihood, Eb. 30.

2. a law term, of challenging jurors, judges, or the like, on account of, by reason of; ryðja ( to challenge) at mægðum, guðsifjum, frændsemi, hrörum …; at leiðarlengd, on account of distance, Grág. i. 30, 50, Nj. (freq.)

3. in arithm. denoting proportion; at helmingi, þriðjungi, fjórðungi, tíunda hluta, cp. Lat. ex asse, quadrante, for the half, third… part; máttr skal at magni (a proverb), might and main go together, Hkr. ii. 236; þú munt vera at því mikill fræðimaðr á kvæði, in the same proportion, as great, Fms. vi. 391, iii. 41; at e-s hluta, at… leiti, for one’s part, in turn, as far as one is con cerned, Grág. i. 322, Eg. 309, Fms. iii. 26 (freq.): at öðrum kosti, in the other case, otherwise (freq.) More gener., at öllu, öngu, in all (no) respects; at sumu, einhverju, nokkru, partly; at flestu, mestu, chiefly.

4. as a paraphrase of a genitive; faðir, móðir at barni (= barns); aðili at sök (= sakar a.); morðingi at barni (= barns), faðerni at barni (barns); illvirki at fé manna (cp. Lat. felo de se), niðrfall at sökum (saka), land gangr at fiskum (fiska), Fms. iv. 274, Grág. i. 277, 416, N. G. L. i. 340, K. Þ. K. 112, Nj. 21.

5. the phrase ‘at sér,’ of himself or in himself, either ellipt. or by adding the participle görr, and with the adverbs vel, ilia, or the like; denoting breeding, bearing, endowments, character …; væn kona, kurteis ok vel at sér, an accomplished, well-bred, gifted lady, Nj. I; vitr maðr ok vel at sér, a wise man and thoroughly good in feeling and bearing, 5; þú ert maðr vaskr ok vel at þér, 49; gerr at sér, accomplished, 51; bezt at sér görr, the finest, best bred man, 39, Ld. 124; en þó er hann svá vel at sér, so generous, Nj. 77; þeir höfðingjar er svá vóru vel at sér, so noble-minded, 198, Fms. i. 160: the phrase ‘at sér’ is now only used of knowledge, thus maðr vel að sér means clever, a man of great knowledge; illa að sér, a blockhead.

6. denoting relations to colour, size, value, age, and the like; hvitr, svartr, grár, rauðr … at lit, white, swarthy, gray, red … of colour, Bjarn. 55, 28, Ísl. ii. 213, etc.; mikill, lítill, at stærð, vexti, tall, small of size, etc.; ungr, gamall, barn, at aldri, young, old, a child of age; tvítugr, þrítugr … at aldri, twenty, thirty … years of age (freq.): of animals; kyr at fyrsta, öðrum … kálfi, a cow having calved once, twice…, Jb. 346: value, amount, currency of money, kaupa e-t at mörk, at a mark, N. G. L. 1. 352; ok er eyririnn at mörk, amounts to a mark, of the value of money, Grág. i. 392; verðr þá at hálfri murk vaðmála eyrir, amounts to a half a mark, 500.

β. metaph. of value, connected with verbs denoting to esteem, hold; meta, hafa, halda at miklu, litlu, vettugi, engu, or the like, to hold in high or low esteem, to care or not to care for (freq.): geta e-s at góðu, illu, öngu, to mention one favourably, unfavourably, indifferently … (freq.), prop. in connection with. In many cases it may be translated by in; ekki er mark at draumum, there is no meaning in dreams, no heed is to be paid to dreams, Sturl. ii. 217; bragð er at þá barnið finnr, it goes too far, when even a child takes offence (a proverb): hvat er at því, what does it mean? Nj. 11; hvert þat skip er vöxtr er at, any ship of mark, i. e. however small, Fms. xi. 20.

V. denoting the source of a thing:

1. source of infor mation, to learn, perceive, get information from; Ari nam ok marga fræði at Þuríði, learnt as her pupil, at her hands, as St. Paul at the feet of Gamaliel, (just as the Scotch say to speer or ask at a person); Ari nam at Þorgeiri afraðskoll, Hkr. (pref.); nema kunnáttu at e-m, used of a pupil, Fms. i. 8; nema fræði at e-m, xi. 396.

2. of receiving, acquiring, buying, from; þiggja e-t at e-m, to receive a thing at his hands, Nj. 51; líf, to be pardoned, Fms. x. 173; kaupa land at e-m, to buy it from, Landn. 72, Íb. II, (now af is more freq. in this sense); geta e-t at e-m, to obtain, procure at one’s hands, impetrare; þeirra manna er þeir megu þat geta at, who are willing to do that, Grág. i. I; heimta e-t at e-m (now af), to call in, demand (a debt, money), 279; fala e-t at e-m (now af), to chaffer for or cheapen anything, Nj. 73; sækja e-t at e-m, to ask, seek for; sækja heilræði ok traust at e-m, 98; leiga e-t at e-m (now af), to borrow, Grág. ii. 334; eiga e-t (fé, skuld) at e-m, to be owed money by any one, i. 399: metaph. to deserve of one, Nj. 113; eiga mikit at e-m, to have much to do with, 138; hafa veg, virðing, styrk, at, to derive honour, power from, Fms. vi. 71, Eg. 44, Bárð. 174; gagn, to be of use, Ld. 216; mein, tálma, mischief, disadvantage, 158, 216, cp. Eg. 546; ótta, awe, Nj. 68.

VI. denoting conformity, according to, Lat. secundum, ex, after; at fornum sið, Fms. i. 112; at sögn Ara prests, as Ari relates, on his authority, 55; at ráði allra vitrustu manna, at the advice of, Ísl. ii. 259, Ld. 62; at lögum, at landslögum, by the law of the land, Grág., Nj.; at líkindum, in all likelihood, Ld. 272; at sköpum, in due course (poet.); at hinum sama hætti, in the very same manner, Grág. i. 90; at vánum, as was to be expected, Nj. 255; at leyfi e-s, by one’s leave, Eg. 35; úlofi, Grág. ii. 215; at ósk, vilja e-s, as one likes…; at mun, id. (poet.); at sólu, happily (following the course of the sun), Bs. i. 70, 137; at því sem …, as to infer from …, Nj. 124: ‘fara, láta, ganga at’ denotes to yield, agree to, to comply with, give in, Ld. 168, Eg. 18, Fms. x. 368.

VII. in phrases nearly or quite adverbial; gróa, vera græddr, at heilu, to be quite healed, Bárð. 167, Eb. 148; bíta at snöggu, to bite it bare, Fms. xi. 6; at þurru, till it becomes dry, Eb. 276; at endilöngu, all along, Fas. ii; vinnast at litlu, to avail little, 655 x. 14; at fullu, fully, Nj. 257, Hkr. i. 171; at vísu, of a surety, surely, Ld. 40; at frjálsu, freely, 308; at líku, at sömu, equally, all the same, Hom. 80, Nj. 267; at röngu, wrongly, 686 B. 2; at hófi, temperately, Lex. Poët.; at mun, at ráði, at marki, to a great extent; at hringum, utterly, all round, (rare), Fms. x. 389; at einu, yet, Orkn. 358; svá at einu, því at einu, allt at einu, yet, however, nevertheless.

VIII. connected with comparatives of adverbs and adjectives, and strengthening the sense, as in Engl. ‘the,’ so much the more, all the more; ‘at’ heldr tveimr, at ek munda gjarna veita yðr öllum, where it may be translated by so much the more to two, as I would willingly grant it to all of you; hon grét at meir, she grat (wept) the more, Eg. 483; þykir oss at líkara, all the more likely, Fms. viii. 6; þess at harðari, all the harder, Sturl. iii. 202 C; svá at hinn sé bana at nær, Grág. ii. 117; at auðnara, at hólpnara, the more happy, Al. 19, Grett. 116 B; þess at meiri, Fms. v. 64; auvirðismaðr at meiri, Sturl. ii. 139; maðr at vaskari, id.; at feigri, any the more fey, Km. 22; maðr at verri, all the worse, Nj. 168; ok er ‘at’ firr…, at ek vil miklu heldr, cp. Lat. tantum abest… ut, Eg. 60.

β. following after a negation; eigi at síðr, no less, Nj. 160, Ld. 146; eigi… at meiri maðr, any better, Eg. 425, 489; erat héra at borgnara, any the better off for that, Fms. vii. 116; eigi at minni, no less for that, Edda (pref.) 146; eigi at minna, Ld. 216, Fms. ix. 50; ekki at verri drengr, not a bit worse for that, Ld. 42; er mér ekki son minn at bættari, þótt…, 216; at eigi vissi at nær, any more, Fas. iii. 74.

IX. following many words:

1. verbs, esp. those denoting, a. to ask, enquire, attend, seek, e. g. spyrja at, to speer (ask) for; leita at, to seek for; gæta, geyma at, to pay attention to; huga, hyggja at; hence atspurn, to enquire, aðgæzla, athugi, attention, etc.

β. verbs denoting laughter, play, joy, game, cp. the Engl. to play at …, to laugh at …; hlæja, brosa at e-u, to laugh, smile at it; leika (sér) at e-u, to play at; þykja gaman at, to enjoy; hæða, göra gys at …, to make sport at …

γ. verbs denoting assistance, help; standa, veita, vinna, hjálpa at; hence atstoð, atvinna, atverk:—mode, proceeding; fara at, to proceed, hence atför and atferli:—compliance; láta, fara at e-u, v. above:— fault; e-t er at e-u, there is some fault in it, Fms. x. 418; skorta at e-u, to fall short of, xi. 98:—care, attendance; hjúkra at, hlýja at, v. these words:—gathering, collecting; draga, reiða, flytja, fá at, congerere:—engagement, arrival, etc.; sækja at, to attack; ganga at, vera at, to be about; koma at, ellipt. to arrive: göra at, to repair: lesta at, to impair (v. above); finna at, to criticise (mod.); telja at, id.: bera at, to happen; kveða at e-m, to address one, 625. 15, (kveða at (ellipt.) now means to pronounce, and of a child to utter (read) whole syllables); falla at, of the flood-tide (ellipt.): metaph. of pains or straits surrounding one; þreyngja, herða at, to press hard: of frost and cold, with regard to the seasons; frjósa at, kólna at, to get really cold (SI. 44), as it were from the cold stiffening all things: also of the seasons themselves; hausta, vetra að, when the season really sets in; esp. the cold seasons, ‘sumra at’ cannot be used, yet we may say ‘vára að’ when the spring sets in, and the air gets mild.

δ. in numberless other cases which may partly be seen below.

2. connected ellipt. with adverbs denoting motion from a place; norðan, austan, sunnan, vestan at, those from the north, east…; utan at, innan at, from the outside or inside.

3. with adjectives (but rarely), e. g. kærr, elskr, virkr (affectionate), vandr (zealous), at e-m; v. these words.

WITH ACC.

TEMP.: Lat. post, after, upon, esp. freq. in poetry, but rare in prose writers, who use eptir; nema reisi niðr at nið (= maðr eptir mann), in succession, of erecting a monument, Hm. 71; in prose, at þat. posthac, deinde, Fms. x. 323, cp. Rm., where it occurs several times, 2, 6, 9, 14, 18, 24, 28, 30, 35; sonr á at taka arf at föður sinn, has to take the inheritance after his father, Grág. i. 170 new Ed.; eiga féránsdóm at e-n, Grág. i. 89; at Gamla fallinn, after the death of G., Fms. x. 382; in Edda (Gl.) 113 ought to be restored, grét ok at Oð, gulli Freyja, she grat (wept) tears of gold for her lost husband Od. It is doubtful if it is ever used in a purely loc. sense; at land, Grág. (Sb.)ii. 211, is probably corrupt; at hönd = á hönd, Grág. (Sb.) i. 135; at mót = at móti, v. this word.

☞ In compounds (v. below) at- or að- answers in turn to Lat. ad- or in- or con-; atdráttr e. g. denotes collecting; atkoma is adventus: it may also answer to Lat. ob-, in atburðr = accidence, but might also be compared with Lat. occurrere.

and að, the mark of the infinitive [cp. Goth. du; A. S. and Engl. to; Germ. zu]. Except in the case of a few verbs ‘at’ is always placed immediately before the infinitive, so as to be almost an inseparable part of the verb.

I. it is used either,

1. as, a simple mark of the infinitive, only denoting an action and independent of the subject, e. g. at ganga, at hlaupa, at vita, to go, to run, to know; or,

2. in an objective sense when following such verbs as bjóða segja…, to invite, command …; hann bauð þeim at ganga, at sitja, be bade, ordered them to go, sit, or the like; or as gefa and fá; gefa e-m at drekka, at eta, to give one to drink or to eat, etc. etc.

β. with the additional notion of intention, esp. when following verba cogitandi; hann ætlaði, hafði í hyggju at fara, he had it in his mind to go (where ‘to go’ is the real object to ætlaði and hafði í hyggju).

3. answering to the Gr. ινα, denoting intention, design, in order to; hann gékk í borg at kaupa silfr, in order to buy, Nj. 280; hann sendi riddara sína með þeim at varðveita þær, 623. 45: in order to make the phrase more plain, ‘svá’ and ‘til’ are frequently added, esp. in mod. writers, ‘svá at’ and contr. ‘svát’ (the last however is rare), ‘til at’ and ‘til þess at,’ etc.

II. in the earlier times the infin., as in Greek and Lat., had no such mark; and some verbs remain that cannot be followed by ‘at;’ these verbs are almost the same in Icel. as in Engl.:

α. the auxiliary verbs vil, mun ( μέλλω), skal; as in Engl. to is never used after the auxiliaries shall, will, must; ek vil ganga, I will go; ek mun fara, (as in North. E.) I mun go; ek skal göra þat, I shall do that, etc.

β. the verbs kunna, mega, as in Engl. I can or may do, I dare say; svá hygginn at hann kunni fyrir sökum ráða, Grág. ii. 75; í öllu er prýða má góðan höfðingja, Nj. 90; vera má, it may be; vera kann þat, id.: kunnu, however, takes ‘at’ whenever it means to know, and esp. in common language in phrases such as, það kann að vera, but vera kann þat, v. above.

γ. lata, biðja, as in Engl. to let, to bid; hann lét (bað) þá fara, he let (bade) them go.

δ. þykkja, þykjast, to seem; hann þykir vera, he is thought to be: reflex., hann þykist vera, sibi videtur: impers., mér þykir vera, mibi videtur, in all cases without ‘at.’ So also freq. the verbs hugsa, hyggja, ætla, halda, to think, when denoting merely the act of thinking; but if there be any notion of intention or purpose, they assume the ‘at;’ thus hann ætlaði, hugði, þá vera góða menn, he thought them to be, acc. c. inf.; but ætlaði at fara, meant to go, etc.

ε. the verbs denoting to see, bear; sjá, líta, horfa á … ( videre); heyra, audire, as in Engl. I saw them come, I heard him tell, ek sá þá koma, ek heyrði hann tala.

ζ. sometimes after the verbs eiga and ganga; hann gékk steikja, be went to roast, Vkv. 9; eiga, esp. when a mere periphrasis instead of skal, móður sína á maðr fyrst fram færa (better at færa), Grág. i. 232; á þann kvið einskis meta, 59; but at meta, id. l. 24; ráða, nema, göra …, freq. in poetry, when they are used as simple auxiliary verbs, e. g. nam hann sér Högna hvetja at rúnum, Skv. 3. 43.

η. hljóta and verða, when used in the sense of must (as in Engl. he must go), and when placed after the infin.of another verb; hér muntu vera hljóta, Nj. 129; but hljóta at vera: fara hlýtr þú, Fms. 1. 159; but þú hlýtr at fara: verða vita, ii. 146; but verða at vita: hann man verða sækja, þó verðr (= skal) maðr eptir mann lifa, Fms. viii. 19, Fas. ii. 552, are exceptional cases.

θ. in poetry, verbs with the verbal neg. suffix ‘-at,’ freq. for the case of euphony, take no mark of the infinitive, where it would be indispensable with the simple verb, vide Lex. Poët. Exceptional cases; hvárt sem hann vill ‘at’ verja þá sök, eða, whatever he chooses, either, Grág. i. 64; fyrr viljum vér enga kórónu at bera, en nokkut ófrelsi á oss at taka, we would rather bear no crown than …, Fms. x. 12; the context is peculiar, and the ‘at’ purposely added. It may be left out ellipt.; e. g. þá er guð gefr oss finnast (= at finnast), Dipl. ii. 14; gef honum drekka (= at drekka), Pr. 470; but mostly in unclassical writers, in deeds, or the like, written nastily and in an abrupt style.

and að, conj. [Goth. þatei = οτι; A. S. þät; Engl. that; Germ, dass; the Ormul. and Scot. at, see the quotations sub voce in Jamieson; in all South-Teutonic idioms with an initial dental: the Scandinavian idioms form an exception, having all dropped this consonant; Swed. åt, Dan. at]. In Icel. the Bible translation (of the 16th century) was chiefly based upon that of Luther; the hymns and the great bulk of theol. translations of that time were also derived from Germany; therefore the germanised form það frequently appears in the Bible, and was often employed by theol. authors in sermons since the time of the Reformation. Jón Vidalin, the greatest modern Icel. preacher, who died in 1720, in spite of his thoroughly classical style, abounds in the use of this form; but it never took root in the language, and has never passed into the spoken dialect. After a relative or demonstr. pronoun, it freq. in mod. writers assumes the form eð, hver eð, hverir eð, hvað eð, þar eð. Before the prep. þú (tu), þ changes into t, and is spelt in a single word attú, which is freq. in some MS.;—now, however, pronounced aððú, aððeir, aððið …, = að þú…, with the soft Engl. th sound. It gener. answers to Lat. ut, or to the relat. pron. qui.

I. that, relative to svá, to denote proportion, degree, so…, that, Lat. tam, tantus, tot…, ut; svá mikill lagamaðr, at…, so great a lawyer, that…, Nj. 1; hárið svá mikit, at þat…, 2; svá kom um síðir því máli, at Sigvaldi, it came so far, that…, Fms. xi. 95, Edda 33. Rarely and unclass., ellipt. without svá; Bæringr var til seinn eptir honum, at hann … (= svá at), Bær. 15; hlífði honum, at hann sakaði ekki, Fas. iii. 441.

II. it is used,

1. with indic, in a narrative sense, answering partly to Gr. οτι, Lat. quod, ut, in such phrases as, it came to pass, happened that …; þat var einhverju sinni, at Höskuldr hafði vinaboð, Nj. 2; þat var á palmdrottinsdag, at Ólafr konungr gékk út um stræti, Fms. ii. 244.

2. with subj. answering to Lat. acc. with infin., to mark the relation of an object to the chief verb, e. g. vilda ek at þú réðist, I wished that you would, Nj. 57.

β. or in an oblique sentence, answering to ita ut…; ef svá kann verða at þeir láti…, if it may be so that they might…, Fms. xi. 94.

γ. with a subj. denoting design, answering to ϊνα or Lat. ut with subj., in order that; at öll veraldar bygðin viti, ut sciat totus orbis, Stj.; þeir skáru fyrir þá melinn, at þeir dæi eigi af sulti, ut ne fame perirent, Nj. 265; fyrsti hlutr bókarinnar er Kristindómsbálkr, at menn skili, in order that men may understand, Gþl. p. viii.

III. used in connection with conjunctions,

1. esp. þó, því, svá; þó at freq. contr. þótt; svát is rare and obsolete.

α. þóat, þótt (North. E. ‘thof’), followed by a subjunctive, though, although, Lat. etsi, quamquam (very freq.); þóat nokkurum mönnum sýnist þetta með freku sett… þá viljum vér, Fms. vi. 21: phrases as, gef þú mér þó at úverðugri, etsi indignae (dat.), Stj. MS. col. 315, are unclass., and influenced by the Latin: sometimes ellipt. without ‘þó,’ eigi mundi hón þá meir hvata göngu sinni, at (= þóat) hon hraeddist bana sinn, Edda 7, Nj. 64: ‘þó’ and ‘at’ separated, svarar hann þó rétt, at hann svari svá, Grág. i. 23; þó er rétt at nýta, at hann sé fyrr skorinn, answering to Engl. yet—though, Lat. attamen —etsi, K. Þ. K.

β. því at, because, Lat. nam, quia, with indic.; því at allir vóru gerfiligir synir hans, Ld. 68; því at af íþróttum verðr maðr fróðr, Sks. 16: separated, því þegi ek, at ek undrumst, Fms. iii. 201; því er þessa getið, at þat þótti, it i s mentioned because …, Ld. 68.

γ. svá at, so that, Lat. ut, ita ut; grátrinn kom upp, svá at eingi mátti öðrum segja, Edda 37: separated, so … that, svá úsvúst at …, so bad weather, that, Bs. i. 339, etc.

2. it is freq. used superfluously, esp. after relatives; hver at = hverr, quis; því at = því, igitur; hverr at þekkr ok þægiligr mun verða, Fms. v. 159; hvern stvrk at hann mundi fá, 44; ek undrumst hvé mikil ógnarraust at liggr í þér, iii. 201; því at ek mátti eigi þar vera elligar, því at þar var kristni vel haldin, Fas. i. 340.

IV. as a relat. conj.:

1. temp, when, Lat. quum; jafnan er ( est) mér þá verra er ( quum) ek fer á braut þaðan, en þá at ( quum) ek kem, Grett. 150 A; þar til at vér vitum, till we know, Fms. v. 52; þá at ek lýsta (= þá er), when, Nj. 233.

2. since, because; ek færi yðr (hann), at þér eruð í einum hrepp allir, because of your being all of the same Rape, Grág. i. 260; eigi er kynlegt at ( though) Skarphéðinn sé hraustr, at þat er mælt at…, because (since) it is a saying that…, Nj. 64.

V. in mod. writers it is also freq. superfluously joined to the conjunctions, ef að = ef, si, (Lv. 45 is from a paper MS.), meðan að = meðan, dum; nema að, nisi; fyrst að = fyrst, quoniam; eptir að, síðan að, postquam; hvárt að = hvárt, Lat. an. In the law we find passages such as, þá er um er dæmt eina sök, at þá eigu þeir aptr at ganga í dóminn, Grág. i. 79; ef þing ber á hina helgu viku, at þat á eigi fyrir þeim málum at standa, 106; þat er ok, at þeir skulu reifa mál manna, 64; at þeir skulu með váttorð þá sök sækja, 65: in all these cases ‘at’ is either superfluous or, which is more likely, of an ellipt. nature, ‘the law decrees’ or ‘it is decreed’ being understood. The passages Sks. 551, 552, 568, 718 B, at lokit (= at ek hefi lokit), at hugleitt (= at ek hefi h.), at sent (= at ek hefi sent) are quite exceptional.

and að, an indecl. relat. pronoun [Ulf. þatei = ος, ος αν, οστις, οσπερ, οιος, etc.; Engl. that, Ormul. at], with the initial letter dropped, as in the conj. at, (cp. also the Old Engl. at, which is both a conj. and a pronoun, e. g. Barbour vi. 24 in Jamieson: ‘I drede that his gret wassalage, | And his travail may bring till end, | That at men quhilc full litil wend.’ | ‘His mestyr speryt quhat tithings a t he saw.’—Wyntoun v. 3. 89.) In Icel. ‘er’ (the relat. pronoun) and ‘at’ are used indifferently, so that where one MS. reads ‘er,’ another reads ‘at,’ and vice versâ; this may easily be seen by looking at the MSS.; yet as a rule ‘er’ is much more freq. used. In mod. writers ‘at’ is freq. turned into ‘eð,’ esp. as a superfluous particle after the relative pron. hverr (hver eð, hvað eð, hverir eð, etc.), or the demonstr. sá (sá eð, þeir eð, hinir eð, etc.):—who, which, that, enn bezta grip at ( which) hafði til Íslands komið, Ld. 202; en engi mun sá at ( cui) minnisamara mun vera, 242; sem blótnaut at ( quae) stærst verða, Fms. iii. 214; þau tiðendi, at mér þætti verri, Nj. 64, etc. etc.

n. collision (poët.); odda at, crossing of spears, crash of spears, Höfuðl. 8.

β. a fight or bait of wild animals, esp. of horses, v. hesta-at and etja.

the negative verbal suffix, v. -a.

(-ar, -ir), m.

1) costly thing; valuable treasure, property;

2) value, money’s worth; enn þriðja hlut á hann, þann er mikill g. er í, that is of great value; epli þau, er henni munu gripir í þykkja, apples which she will think of great value.

m. vulture (rare).

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m., gen. ar, pl. ir, [akin to grípa, to hold, seize, cp. A. S. gripe = manipulus]:—prop. anything possessed; nú hafa tveir menn veðmæltan einn grip báðir, Grág. i. 412; hross eðr skip eðr aðra gripi, 437; alla þá gripi er menn eiga saman, hvárt sem þat er akr eða eng eða aðra hluti, Gþl. 505.

2. value, money’s worth; hann kvað þó verra grip í ( of less worth) enn hann ætlaði, Nj. 73; yðr er ekki happ at drepa hann, ok engi gripr at hafa hann brott, not worth one’s while to drive him away, Fms. vii. 218; enn þriðja hlut á hann þann er mikill gripr er í, Edda 15; epli þau er henni munu gripir í þykkja, 46; í gripum sæmiligum ok löndum, … í þeim gripum er engi væri minna en tíu aura verðr, Sturl. iii. 293: gripa-tak, n. seizure of property, Grág. ii. 196, Gullþ. 19.

3. esp. in pl. costly things, pretiosa; klæðnaðr Þóru ok gripir, Eg. 158; hann skyldi ok kaupa gripi til handa henni svá at engi jafnfjáð kona ætti betri gripi, Ld. 132; klæði, vápn, ok annars-konar gripi, Fms. vi. 182; hann gaf sinn grip hverjum þeirra, Gullþ. 9, 19; húsbúnað ok klæðnað ok góða gripi, Fb. ii. 186; kost-gripr and kjör-gripr, a costly thing, Fs. 43; dýr-gripr, a jewel; spilla gripum sínum, to spoil one’s own things, 51: gripa-kista, u, f. a jewel chest, Sturl. ii. 108 C: grip-auðigr, adj. rich in precious things, Ld. 154.

II. in mod. usage esp. of cattle, stock; gangandi gripir, live stock, Bjarn. 22; stór-gripr, great cattle (cows, horses), opp. to smali, small cattle (sheep).

III. a pr. name, Landn.

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(gen. merkr, pl. merkr), f. mark, by weight or value, = eight ounces (átta aurar).

(gen. markar and merkr, pl. markir and merkr), f. forest.

pl. from mark, march, border.

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f., gen. sing. merkr, pl. merkr, [a word common to all Teut. languages]:—a mark, in weight equal to eight ounces or half a pound; twenty merkr make a fjórðung, q. v.; eighty merkr = a vætt; þat er lögpundari at átta fjórðungar eru í vætt, en tuttugu merkr skolu í fjórðungi vera, Grág. i. 499.

2. a mark, by weight or value, of gold and silver, eight ounces (átta aurar) go to a mark, 732. 16; mörk silfrs, mörk gulls, þrim mörkum gulls, Fms. vii. 235, Grág., Sagas passim; mörk vegins silfrs, O. H. L. 23; gullhringa ok stóð mörk hvárr, Eg. 464: often used absol. so that the standard can only be seen from the context, verðr hann útlagr þrem mörkum, Grág. i. 16, 132; varðar honum þat sex merkr, tólf merkr, 319; varðar þat þriggja marka sekð, 499; hversu mikit fé er þetta? hann sagði hundrað marka, Nj. 4; Áðalsteinn vill gefa skilling manni hverjum frjálsbornum, en mörk sveitar-höfðingja hverjum, Eg. 280; hann skal gjalda hálfa mörk fyrir eyri, Grág. i. 208; þrjú hundruð hundraða eptir forngildu marka-tali, Dipl. v. 20; svá mikit ofa-fé at trautt kom marka-tali á, Fær. 11; hann var svá auðigr af gulli at engi vissi marka-tal, Fms. vi. 176; merkr-kaup, a purchase to the amount of a mörk, Gþl. 497; merkr-þjófr, a theft to the value of a mark, N. G. L. i. 326; merkr stykki, a piece amounting to a mark, H. E. ii. 188. As to the standard, the value of a mörk varied at different times and in different countries, see esp. Mr. Dasent’s Essay in Burnt Njal. In Icel. the confusion was made still greater, by the fact that (as remarked s. v. eyrir) the word mörk was also used of the wadmal standard (the ell of wadmal), and so the law speaks of a mörk vaðmála, Grág. i. 500; mörk sex … álna aura, etc., K. Þ. K. 70, 172, but this is a contradiction in terms, for mörk is a weight, not a measure: the real meaning is often only to be made out by the context, e. g. in questions of weregild the weighed mark is no doubt meant.

II. of fluid, a pint, viz. half a pottr; in mod. usage all fluids and vessels holding fluids are thus measured, tveggja, þriggja … marka askr.

f., gen. markar, but merkr, Fas. ii. 512; dat. mörk: pl. markir, Fs. 100, Ó. H. 80, 142, Hkr. i. 55; later merkr, Fb. i. 134, Fms. viii. 31; [akin to mark, q. v.]:—a forest; (prop. a march-land, border-land, see mark, marka; in olden times vast and dense forests often formed the border-land between two countries; cp. for Scandinavia, Sverr. S. ch. 12, 13; fóru þeir nú austr á markirnar, Fs. 100; austr um markir ok svá til Gautlands, Ó. H. 80; hann ruddi markir ok bygði þar sem nú heitir Jamtaland, 142); eyða annars manns mörk Gþl. 79; þeir er mörk eigu saman, 445; markar spell or spjöll, damage done to a forest, 368, Jb. 235; gengu þeir til merkrinnar, Fas. ii. 512; varð fyrir þeim mörk stór, Edda 28; á mörkinni, Fb. iii. 403; er þér ok heimil vár mörk sem þú villt höggva láta, Fs. 27; ryðja markir, ryðja mörkina ok brenna, to clear forests, Hkr. i. 55; fundusk þá víða í mörkunum skóglaus lönd, … brjóta vegu um markir, mýrar ok fjallvegu, id.; þá lagðisk hann út á merkr ok veiddi dýr, Fb. i. 134; stórar mýrar ok þröngar merkr, Fms. viii. 31; Sverrir konungr skyldi fara yfir mikit vatn í einni mörk, … á inni mestu mörkinni, 32; eyði-mörk, a wilderness.

II. the word is freq. in Northern names of places; Mörk is used of Finnmarken, Finn-mörk, Eg. ch. 14; Þórólfr fór víða um Mörkina, Eg. 41; Þórólfr fór þenna vetr enn um Mörkina ok átti kaupstefnu við Finna, 56; eru víða fjallbygðir upp á Mörkina 58: Markir, f. pl. the Markland between Sweden and southern Norway, Fb. iii; whence Marka-menn, Marchmen, Fms. passim; cp. the Marcomanni of Tacitus, Die Mark in Germany. When the woodlands were cleared and turned into fields the name remained, thus in Danish mark means a field, open space:—in local names, Dan-mörk Þórs-mörk, a woodland in southern Icel. sacred to Thor; a few farms in southern Icel. are called Mörk, Nj., Landn., different from Holt: in Norse counties, Heið-mörk, Þela-mörk, Vingul-mörk, Finn-mörk. marka-menn, m. pl. robbers, outlaws (cp. Icel. skógarmaðr), Grett 118 A.

(-rða, -rðr), v.

1) to fix the worth of a thing, to tax, value (síðan vóru virð fé Haflgerðar);

2) fig., to value, estimate (þat kann engi virða nema guð einn);

with gen., virða e-t mikils, to rate highly, think much of;

virða lítils, to think or make light of;

virða e-t engis (einskis), to make nothing of;

virða e-t með sjálfum sér, to bethink oneself of, consider;

konungr virði mest skáld sín, he held his poets in the highest estimation;

virði jarl hann vel, the earl showed him great honour;

virða til, to pay heed to, regard;

hann kveðst vilja virða til enn heilaga Jacobum postola, he said he would respect the sanctity of St. James;

virða e-t til e-s, to consider (deem) as (virða e-t til útrúleika við e-n);

virða e-t vel, illa fyrir e-m, to put it to his credit, discredit;

3) refl., virðast vel, to be highly esteemed (hann virðist hvervetna vel);

impers., virðist öllum mönnum vel til hans, everybody liked him;

virðist oss svá, sem minnkaðist vár sœmd í því, it seems to us, we think that …;

virðist hann konunginum afbragðsmaðr, the king thought him to be an exceptional man.

* * *

pret. virði, mod. virti; [cp. verð; this word and its derivatives are in mod. Norse proncd. and spelt with y, vyrda; Swed. vörda]:—to fix the worth of a thing, to tax, value; síðan vóru virð fé Hallgerðar, Nj. 24; búar skolu virða fúlgur ómagans tvennar, Grág. i. 259; þar skolu fylgja einn eyrir ok tuttugu, ok virða til friðs, D. I. i. 199; þrjár merkr ok virt til vaðmála, 203; búar skolu virða skip þat til vöru eðr til brends silfrs, Grág. (Kb.) ii. 68; virða e-t til smœrs, D. N. ii. 93.

II. metaph., þat kann engi virða nema Guð einn, Fms. vii. 144: with gen. of the price, virða enskis, Blas. 44; virða mikils, to rate highly, Eg. 167; konungr virði hann mikils, Fms. vi. 132; virða e-t lítils, O. H. L. 76; úvinir hans höfðu grun á ok virðu til utrúleika við konung, Fms. ix. 428; er þat ílla virðanda fyrir þér, it is to be ill-esteemed, blamed, ii. 53; mun þat vera vel virt fyrir þér, Karl. 99; svá virðu vinir jarls sem Þorkell mundi þá bræðr sízt spara til deilu, Orkn. 180; vita ok virða, Stj. 145; virða e-t með sjálfum sér, to bethink oneself of, consider, 132; hygg at ok virð meðr þér sjálfum, 142; virð með sjálfum þér hvat haun mun mega með síns herra fulltingi, Karl. 542.

2. with prepp.; virða at e-u, to give heed to a thing, consider it, Stj. 153; virða e-t fyrir sér, to count, consider; virða til, to pay heed to, regard; Rafn vildi eigi þat, þvíat hann kveðsk vilja virða til enn heilaga Jacobum postola, ok berjask eigi við Þorvald, i. e. Rafn said he would respect the holiness of St. James and not fight Th., Bs. i. 668; heldr skal hitt til virða, at hann vildi Kristni sinni í þyrma, Hom. 109; eg vil ekki virða mig til þess, not demean myself to that: virða um e-t = virða til, D. N. ii. 95: virða e-t við e-t, to value, count; virða við saur ok hégóma, Barl. 74: virð einskis við þá er þér göra í mein, take no account of it if they do thee wrong, Hom. (St.); virða sakar við annan, id.; Guð virði við hann ( may God reward him) undir hvílíkan þunga hann á at standa, Bs. i. 821; biðju vér at þér takit vára dvöl eigi til þrjózku, virðandi vid oss um leiðar-lengd ok harða veðráttu, we beg you not to account it for disobedience in us, but consider the length of the way, and the severe weather, D. N. iii. 80: also of gratitude, eg virði það við hann, að …, to regard past services.

III. reflex., impers. to like; mér virðisk ekki skapferði hans, Ísl. ii. 217; virðisk þeim vel allt til konungs en eigi verr til dróttningar, Fb. ii. 120; hann virðisk þar hverjum manni vel, everybody liked him, Eg. 27, Nj. 46, Fms. i. 6l.

2. to deem, think; virðisk oss svá, sem minnkaðisk vár sæmd í því heldr enn yxi, Fms. x. 7; virðisk konunginum hann af bragðs-maðr, Bjarn. 4: very freq. in mod. usage, mér virðist, methinks.

3. to deign, vouchsafe; af hans ætt virðisk várr Drottinn Jesús at fæðask, Stj.; þú skapari minn virzk at miskunna mér, Barl. 92; þau miskunnar verk er hann virðisk at göra, 95; öll bréf þau er þeir virða sik (= virðask) við at taka, Róm. 248.

(gen. fjár), n.

1) cattle, esp. sheep;

þeir ráku féit (the sheep) upp á geilarnar;

gæta fjár, to herd or tend sheep;

ganganda fé, live stock, opp. to ‘dautt fé’, or ‘liggjanda fé,’ valuables, money;

2) property, money (hvárt sem fé þat er land eðr annat fé);

fyrirgøra fé ok fjörvi, to forfeit property and life;

fé er fjörvi firr, life is dearer than money;

fé veldr frænda rógi, money makes foes of kinsmen;

afla sér fjár ok frægðar (frama), to gain wealth and fame;

hér er fé þat (the money), er Gunnarr greiddi;

þiggit þat, herra, fé er í því, there is value in it;

pl. fé (dat. fjám), property, means.

* * *

n., irreg. gen. fjár, dat. fé; pl. gen. fjá, dat. fjám; with the article, féit, féinu, féin, mod. féð, fénu, fén: [Lat. pecu; Goth. faihu; A. S. feoh; Engl. fee; Hel. fehu; O. H. G. fehu; Germ. vieh; Dan. fæ; Swed. få]

I. cattle, in Icel. chiefly sheep; fé né menn, Grett. 101; fjölda fjár, Ld. 210; gæta fjár, to mind sheep, 232; en ef þeir brenna húsin þó at fé manna sé inni, Grág. ii. 164; þeir ráku féit ( the sheep) upp á geilarnar, Ni. 119; kvik-fé, live-stock, q. v.: ganganda fé, id., opp. to dautt fé, dead property, Grág. passim.

COMPDS: fjárbeit, fjárborg, fjárbreiða, fjárdauði, fjárfellir, fjárfóðr, fjárfæði, fjárfæling, fjárganga, fjárgeymsla, fjárgæzla, fjárhagi, fjárheimtur, fjárhirðir, fjárknappr, fjárhundr, fjárhús, fjárkaup, fjárkláði, fjárnyt, fjárpest, fjárrekstr, fjárréttr, fjársauðr.

II. property, money; hvárt sem fé þat er land eðr annat fé, Grág. ii. 237: the allit. phrase, fé ok fjörvi, Sl. 1; hafa fyrir gört fé ok fjörvi, to forfeit property and life, Nj. 191: the proverbs, fé er fjörvi firr, life is dearer than money, 124; fé veldr frænda rógi, money makes foes of kinsmen, Mkv. 1. Common sayings, hafa fullar hendr fjár; afla fjár ok frægðar, to gain wealth and fame, Fms. i. 23 (a standing phrase); afla fjár ok frama, Fs. 7, fjár ok virðingar, id.; seint munu þín augu fylld verða á fénu, Gullþ. 7; þú munt ærit mjök elska féit áðr lýkr, id.; lát mík sjá hvárt fé þetta er svá mikit ok frítt, Gísl. 62; at Þorgils tæki við fjám sínum, Fs. 154; fagrt fé, fine money; at þeir næði féinu, Fms. x. 23; þegn af fé, liberal, Ísl. ii. 344; Auðr tekr nú féit, A. took the money, Gísl. 62; hér er fé þat ( the money) er Gunnarr greiddi mér, Nj. 55; fé þat allt er hann átti, Eg. 98; alvæpni en ekki fé annat, Fms. i. 47: skemman var full af varningi, þetta fé …, v. 255; Höskuldr færði fé allt til skips, Nj. 4; hversu mikit fé er þetta, id.; heimta fé sín, Grág. i. 87; þiggit þat herra, fé er í því, there is value in it, Fms. vii. 197.

COMPDS: fjárafhlutr, fjáraflan, fjárafli, fjárauðn, fjáragirnd, fjárbón, fjárburðr, fjárdráttr, fjárefni, fjáreigandi, fjáreign, fjáreyðsla, fjáreyðslumaðr, fjárfang, fjárfar, fjárforráð, fjárframlag, fjárfundr, fjárgjald, fjárgjöf, fjárgróði, fjárgæzla, fjárgæzlumaðr, fjárhagr, fjárhagamaðr, fjárhald, fjárhaldsmaðr, fjárheimt, fjárhirðsla, fjárhlutr, fjárkaup, fjárkostnaðr, fjárkostr, fjárkrafa, fjárlag, fjárlán, fjárlát, fjárleiga, fjármegin, fjármet, fjármissa, fjármunir, fjárnám, fjárorkumaðr, fjárpína, fjárrán, fjárreiða, fjárreita, fjársaknaðr, fjársekt, fjársjóðr, fjárskaði, fjárskakki, fjárskilorð, fjárskipti, fjárskuld, fjársóan, fjársókn, fjárstaðr, fjártak, fjártal, fjártapan, fjártilkall, fjártillag, fjártjón, fjárupptak, fjárútlát, fjárvarðveizla, fjárvarðveizlumaðr, fjárván, fjárverðr, fjárviðtaka, fjárvöxtr, fjárþarfnaðr, fjárþurð, fjárþurfi.

B. Fé- in COMPDS, usually in sense II, sometimes in sense I: fé-auðna, u, f. money luck. féauðnu-maðr, m. a man lucky in making money, Band. 4. fé-boð, n. an offer of money, Lv. 62, Fms. v. 26, 369, 656 A. 17; a bribe, Grág. i. 72. fébóta-laust, n. adj. without compensation, Glúm. 358. fé-brögð, n. pl. devices for making money, Fms. xi. 423, 623. 21. fé-bætr, f. pl. payments in compensation, esp. of weregild, opp. to mann-hefndir, Nj. 165, Eg. 106, Fs. 53, 74, Ísl. ii. 386. fé-bættr, part. paid for weregild, Gullþ. 12. fé-drengr, m. an open-handed man, Nj. 177. fé-drjúgr, adj. having a deep purse, Ld. 46. fé-fastr, adj. close-fisted, Ísl. ii. 392, Bs. i. 74. fé-fátt, n. adj. in want of money, Eg. 394, Fms. iii. 180, Hkr. iii. 422. fé-fellir, m. losing one’s sheep, Lv. 91. fé-festi, f. close-fistedness, Grett. 155 C. fé-fletta, tt, to strip one of money, cheat one, Fas. iii. 103, v. l. fé-frekr, adj. greedy for money, Rd. 314. fé-föng, n. pl. booty, plunder, spoil, Fms. iii. 18, vii. 78, Eg. 57, 236, Gullþ. 5, Sks. 183 B. fé-gefinn, part. given for (and to) gain, Band. 4, Valla L. 201. fé-girnd, f. avarice, Hom. 86, Al. 4, Pass. 16. 7, 10. fé-girni, f. = fégirnd, Sks. 358, Band. 11, Sturl. i. 47 C. fégjafa-guð, m. the god of wealth, Edda 55. fé-gjald, n. a payment, fine, Nj. 111, 120, Band. 11, Fms. vii. 248. fé-gjarn, adj. greedy, avaricious, Eg. 336, Fs. 133, Nj. 102, Fms. i. 52, vii. 238. fé-gjöf, f. a gift of money, Fs. 11, 21, Fms. i. 53, xi. 325, Ld. 52. fé-glöggr, f. close-handed, Eb. 158. fé-góðr, adj. good, i. e. current, money, D. N. fé-grið, n. pl. security for property, Grág. ii. 21. fé-gyrðill, m. [early Dan. fägürthil], a money bag, purse, worn on the belt, Gísl. 20, Fbr. 66, Þiðr. 35. fé-gætni, f. saving habits, Glúm. 358. fé-göfugr, adj. blessed with wealth, Ísl. ii. 322. fé-hirðir, m. a shepherd, Fas. i. 518, Fms. viii. 342, Gþl. 501: a treasurer, Hkr. i. 36, Eg. 202, Fms. x. 157, vi. 372, viii. 372. fé-hirzla, u, f. a treasury, Fms. vi. 171, vii. 174, Eg. 237, Hom. 9. féhirzlu-hús, n. a treasure-house, Stj. 154. féhirzlu-maðr, m. a treasurer, Karl. 498. fé-hús, n. = fjós, a stall, D. N. (Fr.): a treasury, Róm. 299. fé-kaup, n. a bargain, N. G. L. i. 9. fé-kátliga, adv., Thom. 403. fé-kátr, adj. proud of one’s wealth, Róm. 126. fé-kostnaðr, m. expenditure, expense, Stj. 512, Fms. iv. 215, xi. 202, Hkr. i. 148. fé-kostr, m. = fékostnaðr, Orkn. 40. fé-krókar, m. pl. money-angles, wrinkles about the eyes marking a greedy man (vide auga), Fms. ii. 84. fé-kvörn, f. a small gland in the maw of sheep, in popular superstition regarded, when found, as a talisman of wealth, vide Eggert Itin. ch. 323. fé-lag, n. fellowship, and fé-lagi, a, m. a fellow, vide p. 151. fé-lauss, adj. penniless, Fms. vi. 272, Fs. 79, Gullþ. 5, Landn. 324 (Mant.) fé-lát, n. loss of money, Landn. 195. fé-leysi, n. want of money, Fms. viii. 20. fé-ligr, adj. valuable, handsome, Fms. viii. 206. fé-lítill, adj. short of money, Eg. 691, Sturl. i. 127 C, Fms. v. 182, vi. 271: of little value, Vm. 74, Jm. 13; fé-minstr, yielding the least income, Bs. i. 432. fé-maðr, m. a monied man, Sturl. i. 171, iii. 97, Dropl. 3. fé-mál, n. money affairs, Nj. 5; a suit for money, Fms. viii. 130, Nj. 15, Grág. i. 83. fé-mikill, adj. rich, monied, Sks. 252, Sturl. i. 171 C: costly, Fms. v. 257, xi. 85, Bs. i. 295, Hkr. iii. 247, Eb. 256: expensive, Korm. 224 (in a verse). fé-mildr, adj. open-handed, Nj. 30. fé-missa, u, f. and fé-missir, m. loss of cattle, Jb. 362: loss of money, Grett. 150 C. fé-munir, m. pl. valuables, Hkr. i. 312, Grág. i. 172, Hrafn. 19, 21, Fms. vi. 298, viii. 342. fé-múta, u, f. a bribe in money, Nj. 215, 251, Gullþ. 7, Fms. v. 312, Bs. i. 839, Thom. 72. fé-mætr, adj. ‘money-worth,’ valuable, Fms. i. 105, Ísl. ii. 154, Orkn. 386. fé-neytr ( fé-nýtr), adj. money-worth, Fms. iv. 340, cp. Hkr. ii. 253. fé-nýta, tt, to turn to account, make use of, Bs. i. 760, Grág. ii. 155. fé-penningr, m. a penny-worth, Bs. i. 757. fé-pína, u, f. a fine, H. E. i. 511. fé-prettr, m. a money trick, N. G. L. i. 123. fé-pynd, f. extortion, Bs. i. 757. fé-ráð, n. pl. advice in money-matters, 656 C. 16. fé-rán, n. plunder, Fs. 9, Fms. vi. 263, Fb. i. 215 (in a verse):—execution, confiscation, in the law phrase, féráns-dómr, m. a court of execution or confiscation to be held within a fortnight after the sentence at the house of a person convicted in one of the two degrees of outlawry, vide Grág. Þ. Þ. ch. 29–33, and the Sagas passim, esp. Hrafn. 21, Sturl. i. 135; cp. also Dasent, Introd. to Burnt Njal. fé-ríkr, adj. rich, wealthy, Fms. ix. 272, Gullþ. 7, Ld. 102, Skálda 203. fé-samr, adj. lucrative, Sturl. i. 68 C. fé-sátt ( fé-sætt), f. an agreement as to payment, of weregild or the like, Grág. i. 136, Nj. 189, Ld. 308. fé-sekr, adj. fined, sentenced to a fine, Grág. i. 393. fé-sekt, f. a fine, Nj. 189, Finnb. 276. fé-sinki, f. niggardliness, Sks. 421, 699. fé-sinkr, adj. niggardly, Sturl. i. 162. fé-sjóðr, m., prop. a bag of money, Band. 6, Fbr. 35 new Ed., Nj. 55, Fas. iii. 194: mod. esp. in pl. a treasury, treasure, in Matth. vi. 20, Col. ii. 3, Heb. xi. 26. fé-skaði, a, m. loss in money, Bs. i, Fs. 4, Fms. iv. 327. fé-skipti, n. a sharing or division of property, Nj. 118, Ld. 134. fé-skjálgr, adj., féskjálg augu, eyes squinting for money, Band. 6. fé-skortr, m. shortness of money, Rd. 284. fé-skuld, f. a money debt, Finnb. 350. fé-skurðr, m. detriment, Ld. 44. fé-skygn, adj. covetous, Fms. v. 263. fé-skylft ( fé-skylmt), n. adj., in the phrase, e-n er f., one has many expenses to defray, Grett. 89, 159, Eb. 98. fé-snauðr, adj. poor in money, penniless, Bs. i. 335. fé-sníkja, u, f. ( fé-sníkni), begging, intruding as a parasite, Sks. 669, 451, 585. fé-snúðr, m. lucre, Band. 5, 655 xi. 4. fé-sparr, adj. sparing, close-handed, Band. 6, Fms. iii. 190. fé-spjöll, n. pl. an απ. λεγ. in Vsp. 23, fee-spells, i. e. spells wherewith to conjure hidden treasures out of the earth, where we propose to read,—valði hón (MS. henne, dat.) Herföðr (dat.) … f. spakleg, she (the Vala) endowed the father of hosts (Odin) with wise fee-spells; the passage in Yngl. S. ch. 7—Óðinn vissi of allt jarðfé hvar fólgit var—refers to this very word; Odin is truly represented as a pupil of the old Vala, receiving from her his supernatural gifts. fé-sterkr, adj. wealthy, Fms. iv. 231, Sks. 274. fé-stofn, m. stock. fé-sæla, u, f. wealth, Hkr. i. 15, Edda 16. fé-sæll, adj. wealthy, Edda 15. fé-sök, f. a suit, action for money, Nj. 15, Grág. i. 138. fé-útlega, u, f. a fine, outlay, N. G. L. i. 85. fé-vani, adj. short of money, Fms. iv. 27. fé-ván, f. expectancy of money, Gullþ. 7, Eg. 241, Fms. iv. 27, Orkn. 208. fé-veizla, u, f. contributions, help, Sks. 261, v. l. fé-vél, n. a trick, device against one’s property, N. G. L. i. 34. fé-víti, n. mulct, Grág. fé-vænliga, adv. in a manner promising profit, Fms. v. 257. fé-vænligr, adj. promising profit, profitable, Sturl. i. 138, Fms. v. 257. fé-vænn, adj. = févænligr, Sturl. i. 138. fé-vöxtr, m. increase in property, gain, Eg. 730. fé-þurfi, adj. in need of money, Eb. 164, Fms. ii. 80, Lv. 108, Fas. i. 392. fé-þúfa, u, f. a ‘money-mound,’ used in the Tales like Fortunatus’ purse; in the phrase, hafa e-n fyrir féþúfu, to use one as a milch cow, to squeeze money out of one. fé-þyrfi and fé-þörf, f. need of money, poverty, Rd. 236. fé-örk, f. a money-chest, 224.

(-ar, -ir), m.

1) costly thing; valuable treasure, property;

2) value, money’s worth; enn þriðja hlut á hann, þann er mikill g. er í, that is of great value; epli þau, er henni munu gripir í þykkja, apples which she will think of great value.

m. vulture (rare).

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m. [Germ. griff], a vulture, Þiðr. 92.

(að), v.

1) to number, tax, value (akta fólkit, akta vísaeyri konungs);

2) to examine, search into (aktið þér ok öll leyni þau, er hann má felast);

3) to devote attention to, to study (akta ýmisligar íþróttir, bókligar listir);

4) to procure (akta þá hluti er hinum sjúka henta); akta e-t inn, to furnish, supply;

5) to debate, discuss in parliament (nú sem þetta var aktat, gengu menn til lögréttu).

* * *

að, [for. word, which therefore does not observe the contraction into á, which is the rule with genuine words; it appears esp. in eccl. writers and annalists at the end of the 13th and 14th centuries, Arna b. S., K. Á., Stj., the Norse Gþl., etc.: cp. A. S. eahtan; Hel. ahton, censere, considerare; Germ. achten; mid. Lat. actare, determinare et actare, Du Cange in a letter of the year 1284.]

I. to number, tax, value, take a census; akta fólkið, Stj. 2 Sam. xxiv. 10; fóru þeir víða um land ok öktuðu vísaeyri konungs, taxed, Bs. i. 707; nú byggir maðr dýrra en vandi hefir á verit, akti ( tax) því fremr dýrra ok fremr til leiðangrs ok landvarnar, he shall be taxed in due proportion, Gþl. 337.

2. to examine, enquire; aktið inniliga öll þau leyni sem hánn má í felast, to take diligent heed of all the lurking-places, Stj. 479. 1 Sam. xxiii. 23; aktið þó áðr, and look, that, id. 2 Kings x. 23; hann aktaði eptir ( looked after) urn eignir staðarins, Bs. i. 778.

3. to devote attention to, study; hann aktaði mjök bókligar listir, Bs. i. 666, 680.

II. a law term, esp. in the Arna b. S., to debate, discuss in parliament; mú er þetta var aktað ( debated) gengu menn til lögréttu, Bs. i. 719; var þá gengit til lögréttu, ok lesit bréf konungs ok drottningar ok aktað ( stated) af leikmanna hendi hversu prestar höfðu af stöðum gengit, 735; lögbók öktuð á alþingi, the code of law debated at the althing, H. Ann. 419. 19. Now only used in the sense of to care for, feel respect for, but a rare and unclassical