we+know+almost

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prep. w. dat.

I. Of place:

1) off, from;

G. hljóp af hesti sínum, G. jumped off his horse;

ganga af mótinu, to go away from the meeting;

Flosi kastaði af sér skikkjunni, threw off his cloak;

Gizzur gekk af útsuðri at gerðinu, from the south-west;

hann hafði leyst af sér skúa sína, he had taken off his shoes;

Steinarr vildi slíta hann af sér, throw him off;

tók Gísli þá af sér vápnin, took off his arms;

bréf af Magnúsi konungi, a letter from king Magnus;

land af landi, from one land to the other;

hverr af öðrum, one after another, in succession;

vil ek þú vinnir af þér skuldina, work off the debt;

muntu enga sætt af mér fá, no peace at my hand;

rísa af dauða, to rise from the dead;

vakna af draumi, to awaken from a dream;

lúka upp af hrossi, to open a gate from off a horse;

vindr stóð af landi, the wind blew from the land;

2) out of;

verða tekinn af heimi, to be taken out of the world;

gruflar hón af læknum, she scrambles out of the brook;

Otradalr var mjök af vegi, far out of the way.

Connected with út; föstudaginn fór út herrinn af borginni, marched out of the town.

II. Of time; past, beyond:

af ómagaaldri, able to support oneself, of age;

ek em nú af léttasta skeiði, no longer in the prime of life;

þá er sjau vikur eru af sumri, when seven weeks of summer are past;

var mikit af nótt, much of the night was past.

III. In various other relations:

1) þiggja lið af e-m, to receive help from one;

hafa umboð af e-m, to be another’s deputy;

vera góðs (ills) maklegr af e-m, to deserve good (bad) of one;

féll þar lið mart af Eyvindi, many of Eyvind’s men fell there;

þá eru þeir útlagir ok af goðorði sínu, have forfeited their goðorð;

þá skalt þú af allri fjárheimtunni, forfeit all the claim;

ek skal stefna þér af konunni, summon thee to give up;

2) off, of;

höggva fót, hönd, af e-m, to cut off one’s foot, hand;

vil ek, at þú takir slíkt sem þér líkar af varningi, whatever you like of the stores;

þar lá forkr einn ok brotit af endanum, with the point broken off;

absol., beit hann höndina af, bit the hand off;

fauk af höfuðit, the head flew off;

3) of, among;

hinn efniligasti maðr af ungum mönnum, the most promising of the young men;

4) with;

hláða, (ferma) skip af e-u, to load (freight) a ship with;

fylla heiminn af sínu kyni, to fill the world with his offspring;

5) of (= ór which is more frequent);

húsit var gert af timbr stokkum, was built of trunks of trees;

6) fig., eigi vita menn hvat af honum er orðit, what has become of him;

hvat hefir þú gert af Gunnari, what hast thou done with Gunnar?;

7) denoting parentage, descent, origin;

ok eru af þeim komnir Gilsbekkingar, are descended from them;

kominn af Trójumönnum, descended from the Trojans;

8) by, of (after passive);

ek em sendr hingat af Starkaði, sent hither by;

ástsæll af landsmónnum, beloved of;

9) on account of, by reason of, by;

úbygðr at frosti ok kulda, because of frost and cold;

ómáli af áverkum, speechless from wounds;

af ástæld hans, by his popularity;

af því, therefore;

af hví, wherefor why;

af því at, because;

10) by means of, by;

framfœra e-n af verkum sínum, by means of his own labour;

af sínu fé, by one’s own means;

absol., hann fekk af hina mestu sœmd, derived great honour from it;

11) with adjectives, in regard to;

mildr af fé, liberal of money;

góðr af griðum, merciful;

fastr af drykk, close (stingy) in regard to drink;

12) used absol. with a verb, off away;

hann bað hann þá róa af fjörðinn, to row the firth off;

ok er þeir höfðu af fjörðung, when they had covered one forth of the way;

sofa af nóttina, to sleep the night away.

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prep. often used elliptically by dropping the case, or even merely adverbially, [Ulf. af; A. S. and Engl. of, off; Hel. ab; Germ. ab; Gr. άπό; Lat. a, ab.] With dat. denoting a motion a loco; one of the three prepp. af, ór, frá, corresponding to those in loco—á, í, við, and ad locum—á, í, at. It in general corresponds to the prepp. in loco—á, or in locum— til, whilst ór answers more to í; but it also frequently corresponds to yfir, um or í. It ranges between ór and frá, generally denoting the idea from the surface of, while ór means from the inner part, and frá from the outer part or border. The motion from a hill, plain, open place is thus denoted by af; by ór that from an enclosed space, depth, cavity, thus af fjalli, but ór of a valley, dale; af Englandi, but ór Danmörk, as mörk implies the notion of a deep wood, forest. The wind blows af landi, but a ship sets sail frá landi; frá landi also means a distance from: af hendi, of a glove, ring; ór hendi, of whatever has been kept in the hand (correl. to á hendi and í hendi). On the other hand af is more general, whilst frá and ór are of a more special character; frá denoting a departure, ór an impulse or force; a member goes home af þingi, whereas ór may denote an inmate of a district, or convey the notion of secession or exclusion from, Eb. 105 new Ed.; the traveller goes af landi, the exile ór landi: taka e-t af e-m is to take a thing out of one’s hand, that of taka frá e-m to remove out of one’s sight, etc. In general af answers to Engl. of, off, ór to out of, and frá to from: the Lat. prepp. ab, de, and ex do not exactly correspond to the Icelandic, yet as a rule ór may answer to ex, af sometimes to ab, sometimes to de. Of, off, from among; with, by; on account of by means of, because of concerning, in respect of.

A. Loc.

I. With motion, off, from:

1. prop. corresp. to á,

α. konungr dró gullhring af hendi sér (but á hendi), Ld. 32; Höskuldr lætr bera farm af skipi, unload the ship (but bera farm á skip), id.; var tekit af hestum þeirra, they were unsaddled, Nj. 4; Gunnarr hafði farit heiman af bæ sínum, he was away from home, 82; Gunnarr hljóp af hesti sínum, jumped off his horse (but hl. á hest), 83; hlaupa, stökkva af baki, id., 112, 264 ; Gunnarr skýtr til hans af boganum, from the bow, where af has a slight notion of instrumentality, 96; flýja af fundinum, to fly from off the battle-field, 102; ríða af Þríhyrningshálsum, 206; út af Langaholti, Eg. 744 ; sunnan ór Danmörk ok af Saxlandi, 560; ganga af mótinu, to go from the meeting, Fms. vii. 130; af þeirra fundi reis María upp ok fór, 625. 85 ; Flosi kastaði af ser skikkjunni, threw his cloak off him (but kasta á sik),Nj. 176; taka Hrungnis fót af honum, of a load, burden, Edda 58; land þat er hann fiskði af, from which he set off to fish, Grág. i. 151, is irregular, frá would suit better; slíta af baki e-s, from off one’s back, ii. 9 ; bera af borði, to clear the table, Nj. 75.

β. where it more nearly answers to í; þeir koma af hafi, of sailors coming in (but leggja í haf), Nj. 128 ; fara til Noregs af Orkneyjum (but í or til O.), 131; þeim Agli fórst vel ok komu af hafi i Borgarfjörð, Eg. 392 ; hann var útlagi ( outlawed) af Noregi, where ór would be more regular, 344; af Islandi, of a traveller, Fms. x. 3; búa her af báðum ríkjunum, to take a levy from, 51; hinir beztu bændr ór Norðlendingafjórðungi ok af Sunnlendingafjórðungi, the most eminent Southerners and Northerners, 113; Gizzurr gékk af útsuðri at gerðinu, from south-west, Sturl. ii. 219; prestar af hvárutveggja biskupsdæmi, from either diocess, Dipl. ii. 11; verða tekinn af heimi, to be taken out of the world, 623. 21; gruflar hon af læknum, scrambles out of the brook, Ísl. ii. 340; Egill kneyfði af horninu í einum drykk, drained off the horn at one draught, literally squeezed every drop out of it, Eg. 557; brottuaf herbúðunurn, Fms. x. 343.

γ. of things more or less surrounding the subject, corresp. to yfir or um; láta þeir þegar af sér tjöldin, break off, take down the tents in preparing for battle, Eg. 261; kyrtillinn rifnaði af honum, his coat burst, caused by the swollen body, 602; hann hafði leyst af sér skúa sína, he untied his shoes (but binda á sik), 716; Steinarr vildi slíta hann af sér, throw him off, of one clinging to one’s body, 747; tók Gísli þá af sér vápnin, took off his arms, Fms. vii. 39. Of putting off clothes; fara af kápu, Nj. 143; far þú eigi af brynjunni, Bs. i. 541; þá ætlaði Sigurðr at fara af brynjunni, id.; þá var Skarphéðinn flettr af klæðunum, Nj. 209: now more usually fara or klæðum, fötum, exuere, to undress.

δ. connected with út; föstudaginn for út herrinn af borginni, marched out of the town, Nj. 274; ganga út af kirkjunni, to go out of the church, now út úr, Fms. vii. 107: drekki hann af þeirri jörðunni, of something impregnated with the earth, Laekn. 402.

ε. more closely corresponding to frá, being in such cases a Latinism (now frá); bréf af páfa, a pope’s bull, Fms. x. 6; rit af hánum, letter from him, 623. 52; bréf af Magnúsi konungi, a letter from king Magnus, Bs. i. 712; farið þér á brautu af mér í eilífan eld, Hom. 143; brott af drottins augliti, Stj. 43.

ζ. denoting an uninterrupted continuity, in such phrases as land aflandi, from land to land, Eg. 343, Fas. ii. 539; skip af skipl. from ship to ship, Fms. v. 10; brann hvat af öðru, one after another, of an increasing fire, destroying everything, i. 128; brandr af brandi brenn, funi kveykist af funa, one from another, Hm. 56; hverr af öðrum, one after another, in succession, also hverr at öðrum, Eb. 272, 280 (where at in both passages).

2. metaph., at ganga af e-m dauðum, to go from, leave one dead on the spot, of two combatants; en hann segiz bani hins ef hann gekk af dauðum manni, Grág. ii. 88, Hkr. 1. 327; undr þykir mér er bróðir þinn vildi eigi taka af þér starf þetta, would not take this toil from thee, Nj. 77; þegnar hans glöddust af honum, were fain of him, Fms. x. 380; at koma þeim manni af sér er settr var á fé hans, to get rid of, Ld. 52; vil ek þú vinriir af þér skuldina, work off the debt, Njarð. 366; reka af sér, to repel, Sturl. ii. 219; hann á þá sonu er aldri munu af oss ganga, who will never leave us, whom we shall never get rid of, Fas. i. 280; leysa e-n af e-u, to relieve, 64; taka e-n af lífi, to kill, Eg. 48, 416, Nj. 126; af lífdögum, Fms. vii. 204; ek mun ná lögum af því máli, get the benefit of the law in this case, Eg. 468; muntu enga sætt af mér fá, no peace at my hand, 414; rísa af dauða, to rise from death, Fms. ii. 142; guð bætti honum þó af þessi sótt, healed him of this sickness, ix. 390; vakna af sýn, draumi, svefni, to awaken from a vision, dream, sleep, 655 xxxii. I, Gísl. 24, Eb. 192, Fas. i. 41. Rather with the notion out of, in the phrase af sér etc., e. g. sýna e-t af scr, to shew, exhibit a disposition for or against, Ld. 18; gera mikit af sér, to shew great prowess, Ísl. ii. 368; éf þú gerir eigi meira af þér um aðra leika, unless you make more of thyself, Edda 32; Svipdagr hafði mikit af sér gert, fought bravely, Fas. i. 41; góðr (illr) af sér, good ( bad) of oneself, by nature; mikill af sjálfum sér, proud, bold, stout, Nj. 15; ágætastr maðr af sjálfum sér, the greatest hero, Bret.: góðr af ser, excellent, Hrafn. 7; but, on the contrary, af sér kominn, ruinous, in decay; this phrase is used of old houses or buildings, as in Bs. i. 488 = Sturl. l. c.; af sér kominn af mæði can also be said of a man fallen off from what he used to be; kominn af fotum fram, off his legs from age, Sturl. i. 223, Korm. 154 (in a verse).

II. WITHOUT MOTION:

1. denoting direction from, but at the same time continuous connection with an object from which an act or thing proceeds, from; tengja skip hvárt fram af stafni annars, to tie the ships in a line, stem to stern, Fms. i. 157, xi. 111; svá at þeir tóku út af borðum, jutted out of the boards, of rafters or poles, iv. 49; stjarna ok af sem skaft, of a comet, ix. 482; lúka upp af hrossi, to open a gate from off a horse, Grág. ii. 264; hon svarar af sínu sæti sem álpt af baru, Fás. i. 186; þar er sjá mátti utau af firði, af þjóðleið, that might be seen from the fareway on the sea when sailing in the firth, Hkr. ii. 64; þá mun hringt af (better at) Burakirkju, of bells rung at the church, Fms. xi. 160; gengr þar af Meðalfellsströnd, projects from, juts out, of a promontory, Ld. 10.

2. denoting direction alone; upp af víkinni stóð borg mikil, a burg inland from the inlet, Eg. 161; lokrekkja innar af seti, a shut bed inward from the benches in the hall, Ísl. ii. 262; kapella upp af konungs herbergjum, upwards from, Fms. x. 153; vindr stóð af landi, the wind stood off the land, Bárð. 166.

β. metaph., stauda af e-u, vide VI. 4.

γ. ellipt., hallaði af norðr, of the channel, north of a spot, Boll. 348; also, austr af, suðr af, vestr af, etc.

3. denoting absence; þingheyendr skulu eigi vera um nótt af þingi ( away from the meeting), eðr lengr, þá eru þeir af þingi ( away from (be meeting) ef þeir eru or ( out of) þingmarki, Grág. i. 25; vera um nótt af várþingi, 115; meðan hann er af landi héðan, abroad, 150.

β. metaph., gud hvíldi af öllum verkum sínum á sjaunda degi, rested from his labours, Ver. 3.

4. denoting distance; þat er komit af þjóðleið, out of the high road, remote, Eg. 369; af þjóðbraut, Grág. ii. 264, i. 15; Otradalr (a farm) var mjök af vegi, far out of the way, Háv. 53.

B. TEMP, past, from, out of, beyond:

1. of a person’s age, in the sense of having past a period of life; af ómaga aldri, of age, able to support oneself, Grág. i. 243; af aeskualdri, stricken in years, having past the prime of life, Eg. 202; lítið af barnsaldri, still a child, Ld. 74; ek em nú af léttasia skeiði, no longer in the prime of life, Háv. 40.

2. of a part or period of time, past; eigi síðar en nótt er af þingi, a night of the session past, Grág. i. 101; þá er sjau vikur eru af sumri, seven weeks past of the summer, 182; tíu vikur af sumri, Íb. 10; var mikit af nótt, much of the night was past, Háv. 41; mikið af vetri, much of the winter was past, Fas. ii. 186; þriðjungr af nótt, a third of the night past, Fms. x. 160; stund af degi, etc.; tveir mánoðr af sumri, Gþl. 103.

3. in adverbial phrases such as, af stundu, soon; af bragði, at once; af tómi, at leisure, at ease; af nýju, again; af skyndingu, speedily; af bráðungu, in a hurry, etc.

C. In various other relations:

I. denoting the passage or transition of an object, concrete or abstract, of, from.

1. where a thing is received, derived from, conferred by a person or object; þiggja lið af e-m, to derive help from, Edda 26; taka traust af e-m, to receive support, comfort from, Fms. xi. 243; taka mála af e-m, to be in one’s pay, of a soldier, Eg. 266; halda land af e-m, to hold land of any one, 282; verða viss af e-m, to get information from, 57, Nj. 130; taka við sök af manni (a law term), to undertake a case, suit, Grág. i. 142; hafa umboð af e-m, to be another’s deputy, ii. 374; vera góðs (ills) maklegr af e-m, to deserve good (bad) of, Vd. 88 (old Ed., the new reads frá), Fs. 45; afla matar af eyjum, to derive supplies from, Eb. 12.

2. where an object is taken by force:

α. prop. out of a person’s hand; þú skalt hnykkja smíðit af honum, wrest it out of his hand, Nj. 32; cp. taka, þrífa, svipta e-u (e-t) af e-m, to wrest from.

β. metaph. of a person’s deprival of anything in general; hann tók af þér konuna, carried thy wife off, Nj. 33; tók Gunnarr af þér sáðland þitt, robbed thee of seedland, 103; taka af honum tignina, to depose, degrade him, Eg. 271; vinna e-t af e-m, to carry off by force of arms, conquer, Fms. iii. 29; drepa menn af e-m, for one, slay one’s man, Eg. 417; fell þar lið mart af Eyvindi, many of Eyvind’s people fell there, 261.

γ. in such phrases as, hyggja af e-u (v. afhuga), hugsa af e-u, to forget; hyggja af harmi; sjá af e-u, to lose, miss; var svá ástúðigt með þeim, at livargi þóttist mega af öðrum sjá, neither of them could take his eyes off the other, Sturl. i. 194; svá er mörg við ver sinn vær, at varla um sér hon af hoiuun nær, Skálda 163.

3. denoting forfeiture; þá eru þeir útlagir, ok af goðorði sínu, have forfeited their priesthood, Grág. i. 24; telja hann af ráðunum fjár síns alls, to oust one, on account of idiocy or madness, 176; verða af kaupi, to be off the bargain, Edda 26; þá skalt þú af allri fjárheimtunni, forfeit all the claim, Nj. 15; ek skal stefna þér af konunni, summon thee to forfeit, a case of divorce, id.; ella er hann af rettarfari um hana, has forfeited the suit, Grág. i. 381.

β. ellipt., af ferr eindagi ef, is forfeited, Grág. i. 140.

II. denoting relation of a part to a whole, off, of, Lat. de; höggva hönd, höfuð, fót af e-um, to cut one’s hand, head, foot off, Nj. 97, 92, Bs. i. 674; höggva spjót af skapti, to sever the blade from the shaft, 264; hann lét þá ekki hafa af föðurarfi sínum, nothing of their patrimony, Eg. 25; vil ek at þú takir slíkt sem þér líkar af varningi, take what you like of the stores, Nj. 4; at þú eignist slíkt af fé okkru sem þú vili, 94.

β. ellipt., en nú höfum vér kjörit, en þat er af krossinum, a slice of, Fms. vii. 89; Þórðr gaf Skólm frænda sínum af landnámi sínu, a part of, Landn. 211; hafði hann þat af hans eigu er hann vildi, Sturl. ii. 169; þar lá forkr einn ok brotið af endanum, the point broken off, Háv. 24, Sturl. i. 169.

γ. absol. off; beit hann höndina af, þar sem nú heitir úlfliðr, bit the hand off, Edda 17; fauk af höfuðit, the head flew off, Nj. 97; jafnt er sem þér synist, af er fótrinn, the foot is off, id.; af bæði eyru, both ears off, Vm. 29.

2. with the notion of—among; mestr skörungr af konum á Norðrlöndum, the greatest heroine in the North, Fms. i. 116; hinn efniligasti maðr af ungum mönnum í Austfjörðum, the most hopeful of youths in the Eastfirths, Njarð. 364; af ( among) öllurn hirðmönnuni virði konungr mest skáld sín, Eg. 27; ef hann vildi nokkura kaupa af þessum konum, Ld. 30; ör liggr þar útiá vegginum, ok er sú af þeirra örum, one of their own arrows, Nj. 115.

β. from, among, belonging to; guð kaus hana af ollum konum sér til móður, of the Virgin Mary, Mar. A. i. 27.

γ. metaph., kunna mikit (lítið) af e-u, to know much, little of, Bragi kann mest af skáldskap, is more cunning of poetry than any one else, Edda 17.

δ. absol. out of, before, in preference to all others; Gunnarr bauð þér góð boð, en þú vildir eingi af taka, you would choose none of them, Nj. 77; ráða e-t af, to decide; þó mun faðir minn mestu af ráða, all depends upon him, Ld. 22; konungr kveðst því mundu heldr af trúa, preferred believing that of the two, Eg. 55; var honum ekki vildara af ván, he could expect nothing better, 364.

3. with the additional sense of instrumentality, with; ferma skip af e-u, to freight a ship with, Eg. 364; hlaða mörg skip af korni, load many ships with corn, Fms. xi. 8; klyfja tvá hesta af mat, Nj. 74; var vágrinn skipaðr af herskipum, the bay was covered with war ships, 124; fylla ker af glóðum, fill it with embers, Stj. 319; fylla heiminn af sínu kyni, to fill the world with his offspring, Ver. 3.

III. denoting the substance of which a thing is made, of; used indifferently with ór, though ór be more frequent; þeir gerðu af honum jörðina, af blóði hans sæinn ok vötnin, of the creation of the world from the corpse of the giant Ymir; the poem Gm. 40, 41, constantly uses ór in this sense, just as in modern Icelandic, Edda 5; svá skildu þeir, at allir hlutir væri smíðaðir af nokkru efni, 147 (pref.); húsit var gert af timbrstokkum, built of trunks of timber, Eg. 233; hjöhin vóru af gulli, of gold, golden, Fms. i. 17; af osti, of cheese, but in the verse 1. c. ór osti, Fms. vi. 253; línklæði af lérepti, linen, Sks. 287.

2. metaph. in the phrases, göra e-t af e-n ( to dispose of), verða af ( become of), hvat hefir þú gört af Gunnari, what hast thou done with Gunnar? Njarð. 376; hvat af motrinuni er orðit, what has become of it? of a lost thing, Ld. 208; hverfr Óspakr á burt, svá eigi vita menn hvat af honum er orðit, what has become of him? Band. 5.

IV. denoting parentage, descent, origin, domicile, abode:

1. parentage, of, from, used indifferently with frá; ok eru af þeim komnir Gilsbekkingar, descend from them, but a little below—frá honum eru konmir Sturlungar, Eb. 338, cp. afkvæmi; af ætt Hörðakára, Fms. i. 287; kominn af Trojumönnum, xi. 416; af Ása-ætt (Kb. wrongly at), Edda I.

β. metaph., vera af Guði (theol.), of God, = righteous, 686 B. 9; illr ávöxtr af íllri rót, Fms. ii. 48; Asia er kölluð af nafni nokkurar konu, derives her name from, Stj. 67; af honum er bragr kallaðr skáldskapr, called after his name, Edda 17.

2. of domicile; af danskri tungu, of Danish or Scandinavian origin, speaking the Danish tongue, Grág. ii. 73; hvaðan af löndum, whence, native of what country? Ísl.

β. especially denoting a man’s abode, and answering to á and í, the name of the farm (or country) being added to proper names, (as in Scotland,) to distinguish persons of the same name; Hallr af Síðu, Nj. 189; Erlingr af Straumey, 273; Ástríðr af Djúpárbakka, 39; Gunnarr af Hlíðarenda (more usual frá); þorir haklangr konungr af Ögðum, king of Agdir, Eg. 35, etc.; cp. ór and frá.

V. denoting a person with whom an act, feeling, etc. originates, for the most part with a periphrastic passive:

1. by, the Old Engl. of; as, ek em sendr hingað af Starkaði ok sonum hans, sent hither by, Nj. 94; inna e-t af hendi, to perform, 257; þó at alþýða væri skírð af kennimönnum, baptized of, Fms. ii. 158; meira virðr af mönnum, higher esteemed, Ld. 158; ástsæll af landsmönnum, beloved, íb. 16; vinsæll af mönnum, Nj. 102; í allgóðu yfirlæti af þeim feðgum, hospitably treated by them, Eg. 170; var þá nokkut drukkið af alþjóð, there was somewhat hard drinking of the people, Sturl. iii. 229; mun þat ekki upp tekið af þeim sükudólgum mínum, they will not clutch at that, Nj. 257; ef svá væri í hendr þér búit af mér, if í had so made everything ready to thy hands, Ld. 130; þá varð fárætt um af föður hans, his father said little about it, Fms. ii. 154.

2. it is now also sometimes used as a periphrase of a nom., e. g. ritað, þýtt af e-m, written, translated, edited by, but such phrases scarcely occur in old writers.

VI. denoting cause, ground, reason:

1. originating from, on account of, by reason of; af frændsemis sökum, for kinship’s sake, Grág. ii. 72; ómáli af áverkum, speechless from wounds, 27; af manna völdum, by violence, not by natural accident, of a crime, Nj. 76; af fortölum Halls, through his pleading, 255; af ástsæld hans ok af tölum þeirra Sæmundar, by his popularity and the eloquence of S., Íb. 16; af ráðum Haralds konungs, by his contriving, Landn. 157; úbygðr af frosti ok kulda, because of frost and cold, Hkr. i. 5.

β. adverbially, af því, therefore, Nj. 78; af hví, why? 686 B. 9; þá verðr bóndi heiðinn af barni sínu, viz. if he does not cause his child to be christened, K. Þ. K. 20.

2. denoting instrumentality, by means of; af sinu fé, by one’s own means, Grág. i. 293; framfæra e-n af verkum sinum, by means of one’s own labour, K. Þ. K. 142; draga saman auð af sökum, ok vælum ok kaupum, make money by, 623. I; af sínum kostnaði, at hi s own expense, Hkr. i. 217.

β. absol., hún fellir á mik dropa svá heita at ek brenn af öll, Ld. 328; hann fékk af hina mestu sæmd, derived great honotur from it, Nj. 88; elli sótti á hendr honum svá at hann lagðist í rekkju af, he grew bedridden from age, Ld. 54; komast undan af hlaupi, escape by running, Fms. viii. 58; spinna garn af rokki, spin off a wheel (now, spinna á rokk), from a notion of instrumentality, or because of the thread being spun out (?), Eb. 92.

3. denoting proceeding, originating from; lýsti af höndum hennar, her hands spread beams of light, Edda 22; allir heimar lýstust ( were illuminated) af henni, id.; en er lýsti af degi, when the day broke forth, Fms. ii. 16; lítt var lýst af degi, the day was just beginning to break, Ld. 46; þá tók at myrkja af nótt, the ‘mirk-time’ of night began to set in, Eg. 230; tók þá brátt at myrkva af nótt, the night grew dark, Hkr. ii. 230.

4. metaph., standa, leiða, hljótast af, to be caused by, result from; opt hlýtst íllt af kvenna hjali, great mischief is wrought by women’s gossip (a proverb), Gísl. 15, 98; at af þeim mundi mikit mein ok úhapp standa, be caused by, Edda 18; kenna kulda af ráðum e-s, to feel sore from, Eb. 42; þó mun her hljótast af margs manns bani, Nj, 90.

5. in adverbial phrases, denoting state of mind; af mikilli æði, in fury, Nj. 116; af móð, in great emotion, Fms. xi. 221; af áhyggju, with concern, i. 186; af létta, frankly, iii. 91; af viti, collectedly, Grág. ii. 27; af heilu, sincerely, Eg. 46; áf fári, in rage; af æðru, timidly, Nj. (in a verse); af setning, composedly, in tune, Fms. iii. 187; af mikilli frægð, gallantly, Fas. i. 261; af öllu afli, with all might, Grág. ii. 41; af riki, violently, Fbr. (in a verse); af trúnaði, confidently, Grág. i. 400.

VII. denoting regard to, of, concerning, in respect of, as regards:

1. with verbs, denoting to tell of, be informed, inquire about, Lat. de; Dioscorides segir af grasi því, speaks of, 655 xxx. 5; er menn spurðu af landinu, inquired about it, Landn. 30; halda njósn af e-u, Nj. 104; er þat skjótast þar af at segja, Eg. 546, Band. 8.

β. absol., hann mun spyrja, hvárt þér sé nokkut af kunnigt hversu for með okkr, whether you know anything about, how, Nj. 33; halda skóla af, to hold a school in a science, 656 A. i. 19 (sounds like a Latinism); en ek gerða þik sera mestan mann af öllu, in respect of all, that you should get all the honour of it, Nj. 78.

2. with adjectives such as mildr, illr, góðrafe-u, denoting disposition or character in respect to; alira manna mildastr af fo, very liberal, often-banded, Fms. vii. 197; mildr af gulli, i. 33; góðr af griðum, merciful, Al. 33; íllr af mat en mildr af gulli, Fms. i. 53; fastr af drykk, close, stingy in regard to, Sturl. ii. 125; gat þess Hildigunnr at þú mundir góðr af hestinum, that you would be good about the horse, Nj. 90, cp. auðigr at, v. at, which corresponds to the above phrases; cp. also the phrase af sér above, p. 4, col. I, ll. 50 sqq.

VIII. periphrasis of a genitive (rare); provincialis af öllum Predikaraklaustrum, Fms. x. 76; vera af hinum mesta fjandskap, to breathe deep hatred to, be on bad terms with, ix. 220; af hendi, af hálfu e-s, on one’s behalf, v. those words.

IX. in adverbial phrases; as, af launungu, secretly; af hljóði, silently; v. those words.

β. also used absolutely with a verb, almost adverbially, nearly in the signification off, away; hann bað þá róa af fjörðinn, pass the firth swiftly by rowing, row the firth off, Fms. ix. 502; var pá af farit þat seni skerjóttast var, was past, sailed past, Ld. 142; ok er þeir höfðu af fjórðung, past one fourth of the way, Dropl. 10: skína af, to clear up, of the skv, Eb. 152; hence in common language, skína af sér, when the sun breaks forth: sofa af nóttina, to sleep it away, Fms. ii. 98; leið af nóttin, the night past away, Nj. 53; dvelja af stundir, to kill the time, Band. 8; drepa af, to kill; láta af, to slaughter, kill off;

γ. in exclamations; af tjöldin, off with the awnings, Bs. i. 420, Fins, ix. 49.

δ. in the phrases, þar af, thence; hér af, hence, Fms. ii. 102; af fram, straight on, Nj. 144; now, á fram, on, advance.

X. it often refers to a whole sentence or to an adverb, not only like other prepp. to hér, hvar, þar, but also redundantly to hvaðan, héðan, þaðan, whence, hence, thence.

2. the preposition may sometimes be repeated, once elliptically or adverbially, and once properly, e. g. en er af var borit at borðinu, the cloth was taken off from the table, Nj. 176; Guð þerrir af (off, away) hvert tár af ( from) augum heilagra manna, God wipes off every tear from the eyes of his saints, 655 xx. vii. 17; skal þó fyrst bætr af lúka af fé vegaiula, pay off, from, Gþl. 160, the last af may be omitted—var þá af borið borðinu—and the prep. thus be separated from its case, or it may refer to some of the indecl. relatives er or sem, the prep. hvar, hér, þar being placed behind them without a case, and referring to the preceding relative, e. g. oss er þar mikit af sagt auð þeim, we have been told much about these riches, Band. 24; er þat skjótast þar af at segja, in short, shortly. Eg. 546; þaðan af veit ek, thence í infer, know, Fms. i. 97.

XI. it is moreover connected with a great many verbs besides those mentioned above, e. g. bera af, to excel, whence afbragð, afbrigði; draga af, to detract, deduct, hence afdráttr; veita ekki af, to be hard with; ganga at, to be left, hence afgangr; standast af um e-t, to stand, how matters stand; sem af tekr, at a furious rate; vita af, to be conscious, know about (vide VII).

D. As a prefix to compounds distinction is to be made between:

I. af privativum, denoting diminution, want, deduction, loss, separation, negation of, etc., answering indifferently to Lat. ab-, de-, ex-, dis-, and rarely to re- and se-, v. the following COMPDS, such as segja, dicere, but afsegja, negare; rækja, colere, but afrækja, negligere; aflaga, contra legem; skapligr, normalis, afskapligr, deformis; afvik, recessus; afhús, afhellir, afdalr, etc.

II. af intensivum, etymologically different, and akin to of, afr-, e. g. afdrykkja = ofdrykkja, inebrietas; afbrýði, jealously; afbendi, tenesmus; afglapi, vir fatuus, etc. etc. Both the privative and the intensive af may be contracted into á, esp. before a labial f, m, v, e. g. á fram = af fram; ábrýði = afbrýði; ávöxtr = afvöxtr; áburðr = afburðr; ávíta = afvíta (?). In some cases dubious. With extenuated and changed vowel; auvirðiligr or övirðiligr, depreciated, = afv- etc., v. those words.

(-ta, -tr), v.

1) to perceive, espy, notice (ok er konungr þekkir, at sveinninn er heill);

þás bani Fáfnis borg of þátti (old pret. = þekti), when Fafnir’s slayer espied the burg;

2) to comprehend (mátt þú nú þat þekkja, er fyrr sagða ek þér);

3) to know, recognize (þóttist hón þekkja barnit);

4) refl., þekkjast e-t, to comply with, consent to, accept of (þeir þektust þetta boð gjarna);

þekkjast e-m, to please;

megi þér (dat.) mitt líf þekkja, may it please thee.

* * *

ð, and later t; an older pret. þátti answers to Goth. þagkjan, þahta, and occurs in old poems in four instances, which see below: [Goth. þagkjan = λογίζεσθαι; A. S. þencan, þôhte; Engl. think, pret. thought; Hel. þenkjan, pret. þahta; O. H. G. dankjan; Germ. denken, pret. dachte; whence mod. Dan. tænke; Swed. tänka; whence mod. Icel. þenkja. In the old Norse the sense of ‘to think’ is still undeveloped, and only appears in the borrowed mod. form þenkja; cp. þykkja.]

A. To perceive, know:

I. to perceive, espy, notice, of the senses; þóttuð mér, er ek þátta, Þorkcls liðar dvelja, when I espied them, O. H. L. (in a poem of A. D. 1012); þá er vígligan vögna vátt, sinn bana þátti, Haustl. (middle of the 10th century); þátti liggja á sléttri grundu sér fjarri, he espied (his sword) lying far off on the ground, Geisli (Cod. Holm., in a poem of A. D. 1154); þá er bani Fáfnis borg um þátti, when the slayer of F. espied (or visited) the burg, Og. 18; er harðhugaðr hamar um þekði, when he espied his hammer, Þkv.; er ek höll Hálfs háfa þekða’k, Gkv. 2. 13; ok er konungr þekkir at sveinninn er heill, Fb. iii. 366; þá þekði hann at tré flaut í lánni, he espied a tree floating in the surf, Mar. (pref. xl); heyra þeir vápna-brakit ok þekkja jóreykina, Al. 31; kann vera at þeir þekki eigi hvárt þar eru karlar eða konur, Ld. 276; mátt þú nú þat þ. ( comprehend) er fyrr sagða ek þér, at …, Sks. 476. This sense is now obsolete.

II. to know; þóttisk hón þekkja barnit, Finnb. 214; engi maðr var sá innan-borðs at þetta land þekti, Fms. iii. 181; svá vóru þeir líkir at hvárngan mátti þekkja frá öðrum, Bev.; fá þekt þá hluti, Sks. 119 new Ed.; þekki ek þik görla, segir hann, Fas. ii. 239. This sense is not of very frequent occurrence in old writers, but more so in mod. usage, as it has almost displaced the old kenna, q. v.

III. recipr. to know one another, Fas. iii. 535.

B. Dep. [þökk], þekkjask, to comply with; en konungrinn þekðisk meirr með einvilja sínum en með vitra manna ráði, the king followed more his own will than good men’s counsel, Fms. x. 418.

2. to be pleased; þá þektisk mér at leita hans ráða-görðar, I was pleased, I wished, Sks. 3; megi þér mitt líf þekkjask, may it please thee, Barl. 148.

II. to accept of, consent to; bauð honum þar at vera, en hann þekðisk þat, Eg. 23; þeir þökkuðu Úlfi þetta boð sitt ok þektusk þetta boð gjarna, Fær. 46; ek mun fela yðr hér.—þeir þekkjask þetta, Fms. i. 8; Eiríkr konungr þektisk þann kost, 22; þá eggjuðu höfðingjar aptr-hvarfs, en hann þekðisk eigi þat, he refused, would not, x. 413; ef þú vill mína umsjá þekkjask, vi. 104.

2. part., fám var þekkt í þeirra liði at fara seint, few of them liked to go slowly, Lv. 95.

never

( qualche volta) ever

mai più never again

più che mai more than ever

non accetterò mai e poi mai I will never agree, never

chi ha mai detto che... who said that...

come mai? how come?

se mai if ever

meglio tardi che mai better late than never

dove/perché mai? where/why on earth?

* * *

mai avv.

1 (nel significato di non mai) never; (in presenza di altra negazione e nel significato di talvolta) ever: non bevo mai alcolici, I never drink alcohol; non telefona mai a quest'ora, he never phones at this time; non ho mai visto un film così divertente, I've never seen such an enjoyable film; non dimenticherò mai l'espressione del suo viso, I'll never forget the expression on her face; non sono mai stato a Mosca, I've never been to Moscow; non me ne avevi mai parlato, you'd never told me about it; non sarebbe mai capace di fingere, he would never be capable of pretending; non si sarebbero mai sognati di farlo, they would never have dreamt of doing it; non si ripeterà mai un'occasione simile, there will never be a chance like this again; nessuno l'ha mai visto né sentito, no one has ever seen or heard of him; senza averci mai pensato, without ever thinking about it; niente avrebbe mai potuto turbarlo a tal punto, nothing could ever have disturbed him so much // mai più, never again: non accadrà mai più, it will never happen again; adesso o mai più, (it's) now or never // mai più!, mai e poi mai!, never! (o not on your life!) // quasi mai, hardly ever (o almost never): non viene quasi mai, he hardly ever comes // non sia mai detto che..., never let it be said that... // non si sa mai, you never can tell // mai dire mai, never say never

2 (in frasi interrogative o ipotetiche) ever: ''Sei mai stato in Giappone?'' ''No, mai'', ''Have you ever been to Japan?'' ''No, never''; avete mai sentito parlare di lui?, have you ever heard talk of him?; potrai mai perdonarmi?, will you ever be able to forgive me?; non so se sia mai stato all'estero, I don't know whether he's ever been abroad (or not); ti sei mai chiesto il perché di un simile gesto?, have you ever wondered why he did that? // dove mai?, where on earth?; wherever?: mi domando dove mai può essersi cacciato, I wonder where on earth he can have got to // quando mai?, whenever?: quando mai hai sentito questo?, whenever did you hear that? // chi mai?, who on earth?; whoever?: chi mai poteva essere?, whoever could it have been? // che (cosa) mai...?, what on earth...? whatever...?: che mai hai combinato?, what on earth have you been up to?; non so proprio che cosa mai vi siate messi in testa, I don't know what on earth got into your heads; che mai stai cercando di dirmi?, whatever are you trying to tell me? // come mai?, why?; how come?; whyever?: come mai non va l'ascensore?, how come the lift isn't working?; come mai non ci avete pensato prima?, whyever didn't you think of it before? // se mai, caso mai, if (o if ever o in case): se mai dovessi incontrarla..., if ever you should meet her...; se avessi mai pensato..., if I had ever thought...; caso mai tornasse, mandalo da me, if he happens to come back, send him to me; prendete l'ombrello, caso mai piovesse, take an umbrella in case it rains

3 (in frasi comparative) ever: più che mai, more than ever: sono più che mai convinto di aver agito bene, I'm more than ever convinced I did the right thing; sono più felice che mai, I'm happier than I've ever been (o I've never been so happy); sono stati più gentili che mai, they were ever so kind; nonostante le cure, deperiva più che mai, in spite of the treatment he got weaker and weaker // meno che mai, less than ever // peggio che mai, worse than ever // è quanto mai testardo, è (un) testardo che mai (o quant'altri mai), he's terribly stubborn // ho una sete che mai, I'm terribly thirsty // meglio tardi che mai!, (prov.) better late than never!

4 (in frasi ellittiche o con uso enfatico): io ho scritto tante volte, loro mai, I've written many times, but they never have; lui lo farebbe, io mai, he'd do it, but I never would; tutto, ma questo mai, anything but this; mai un momento di pace, never a moment's peace; mai che dicesse la verità!, I wish he'd tell the truth for once!

* * *

1) (in nessun momento) never

2) (qualche volta)

3) (come rafforzativo)

4) (in espressioni comparative)

••

* * *

mai

/mai/

Mai si traduce in inglese con never oppure ever. Never concentra in sé il valore negativo della frase, e quindi esclude l'uso di altri negativi (diversamente dal mai italiano): non ho mai visto nessuno mangiare così! = I never saw anybody eating like that! Never precede il verbo quando questo è in forma semplice (tranne to be) e segue il primo ausiliare quando il verbo è composto: non mangia mai abbastanza = she never eats enough; non è mai stanca = she is never tired; non l'ho mai incontrato = I've never met him. Ever si usa in quattro casi: al posto di never, quando si deve o si vuole mantenere un'altra forma negativa nella frase (non farlo mai più! = don't you ever do that again!); quando mai ha valore positivo e significa qualche volta (sei mai stato a Londra? = have you ever been to London?); dopo un comparativo ( più magro che mai = thinner than ever); infine, nel linguaggio parlato, ever segue e rafforza never (non glielo dirò mai! = I'll never ever tell him!).

avverbio

 1 (in nessun momento) never; non scrive mai he never writes; non scrive mai? doesn't he ever write? mai più! never again! non farlo mai più! don't (you) ever do that again! mai e poi mai! never ever! ora o mai più it's now or never

 2 (qualche volta) hai mai visto una cosa del genere? have you ever seen something like that?

 3 (come rafforzativo) dove mai sarà andato? wherever did he go? perché mai l'hai fatto? why ever did you do that? chi l'avrebbe mai detto! who ever would have guessed? who would have thought it!

 4 (in espressioni comparative) più bella che mai more beautiful than ever; più, meno che mai more, less than ever before; è felice come (non) mai she has never been happier

IDIOMS

meglio tardi che mai better late than never; non si sa mai! you never know! you never can tell!

Adv.

1. räumlich: stellen, lehnen etc.: against that oder it; sich setzen etc.: at that oder it; hängen etc.: on that oder it; befestigen etc.: to that oder it; daran fassen / riechen / schlagen touch / smell / hit it; halt dich daran fest hold on to it tight(ly); daran herumfummeln umg. fiddle about with s.th.; komm nicht daran! don’t touch it!, keep away from it!

2. fig.: daran glauben believe in it; das ändert nichts daran that doesn’t change anything (about it); im Anschluss daran following that, after that; daran schloss sich eine Rede (an) that was followed by a speech; erinnere mich bitte daran, dass... please remind me that...; ist etwas falsch daran? is something wrong with that ( oder it)?; was ist schon daran? what harm is there in that ( oder it)?; daran kann man sehen, wie etc. that goes to show how etc.; du tätest gut daran zu (+ Inf.) you would do well ( oder be well-advised) to (+ Inf.) das Beste / Schlimmste etc. daran the best / worst thing about it etc.;vgl. auch die mit daran verbundenen Adjektive, Substantive und Verben

3. (daneben) next to it; nahe oder dicht daran nearby; zu nahe daran too close (to it); daran vorbei past it; nahe daran sein zu (+ Inf.) fig. be on the point of (+ Ger.), come close to (+ Ger.), be just about to (+ Inf.) ich war nahe daran, ihn zu schlagen I nearly hit him, I was on the verge of hitting him

4. Ursache: daran leiden suffer from it; daran sterben die of it; daran ersticken choke on it; daran scheitern, dass... fail because of...; das liegt daran, dass... that’s because (of)..., that’s due to the fact that...

5. umg. dran

* * *

at it; to it; thereby

* * *

1) (räumlich = an dieser Stelle, diesem Ort, Gegenstand) on it/that; schieben, lehnen, stellen against it/that; legen next to it/that; kleben, befestigen, machen, gehen to it/that; sich setzen at it/that

2)

3) (inf)

4) (in Verbindung mit n, adj, vb siehe auch dort) arbeiten on it/that; sterben, erinnern, Bedarf, Mangel of it/that; interessieren, sich beteiligen, arm, reich in it/that; sich klammern to it/that

* * *

1. (räumlich) on it/that

halt deine Hand \daran! put your hand against [or on] it

komm nicht \daran, die Farbe ist noch feucht don't touch it, the paint is still wet

etw \daran befestigen/kleben to fasten/stick sth to it

etw \daran lehnen/stellen to lean/place sth against it

\daran riechen to smell it

\daran stehen to stand next to it

nahe [o dicht] \daran right up against it, [right] up close to it

\daran vorbei past it

2. (zeitlich)

erst fand ein Vortrag statt, \daran schloss sich eine Diskussion [an] first there was a lecture, which was followed by a discussion [or and after that a discussion]

im Anschluss \daran [o \daran anschließend] following that/this

im Anschluss \daran gibt es einen Imbiss it/that/this will be followed by a snack

3. in Verbindung mit subst, adj, vb siehe auch dort (an dieser Angelegenheit/Sache)

kein Wort ist wahr \daran! there isn't a word of truth in it, not a word of it is true

es ändert sich nichts \daran it won't [or nothing will] change

denk \daran! bear it in mind

denk \daran dass du deine Schwester anrufen musst don't forget [you have] to ring your sister

\daran sieht man, dass... there you [can] see that...

\daran arbeiten/ersticken to work/choke on it

arm/reich \daran sein to be lacking/rich in it

sich akk \daran beteiligen/erinnern to take part in/remember it

das Dumme/Gute/Schöne \daran ist, dass... the stupid/good/nice thing about it is that...

kein Interesse \daran no interest in it

\daran interessiert sein to be interested in it

\daran kauen/sitzen to chew [on]/sit over it

ein Mangel \daran a lack of it

\daran sein to be working on it

iss die Wurst nicht, der Hund ist \daran gewesen (fam) don't eat that sausage, the dog has been at it

\daran sterben to die of it

\daran zweifeln to doubt it; s.a. gut, nahe

* * *

1) on it/them

2)

3)

4)

* * *

daran adv

1. räumlich: stellen, lehnen etc: against that oder it; sich setzen etc: at that oder it; hängen etc: on that oder it; befestigen etc: to that oder it;

daran fassen/riechen/schlagen touch/smell/hit it;

halt dich daran fest hold on to it tight(ly);

daran herumfummeln umg fiddle about with sth;

komm nicht daran! don’t touch it!, keep away from it!

2. fig:

daran glauben believe in it;

das ändert nichts daran that doesn’t change anything (about it);

im Anschluss daran following that, after that;

daran schloss sich eine Rede (an) that was followed by a speech;

erinnere mich bitte daran, dass … please remind me that …;

ist etwas falsch daran? is something wrong with that ( oder it)?;

was ist schon daran? what harm is there in that ( oder it)?;

daran kann man sehen, wie etc that goes to show how etc;

du tätest gut daran zu (+inf) you would do well ( oder be well-advised) to (+inf)

das Beste/Schlimmste etc

daran the best/worst thing about it etc; → auch die mit daran verbundenen Adjektive, Substantive und Verben

3. (daneben) next to it;

nahe oder

dicht daran nearby;

zu nahe daran too close (to it);

daran vorbei past it;

nahe daran sein zu (+inf) fig be on the point of (+ger), come close to (+ger), be just about to (+inf)

ich war nahe daran, ihn zu schlagen I nearly hit him, I was on the verge of hitting him

4. Ursache:

daran leiden suffer from it;

daran sterben die of it;

daran ersticken choke on it;

daran scheitern, dass … fail because of …;

das liegt daran, dass … that’s because (of) …, that’s due to the fact that …

5. umg → dran

* * *

1) on it/them

2)

3)

4)

* * *

at it expr.

1 to catch up with (igualarse con).

¿a que no me alcanzas? bet you can't catch me!

Yo alcanzo a Ricardo I catch up with Richard.

2 to reach (llegar a).

alcanzar la meta to reach the finishing line

lo alcancé con una escalera I used a ladder to reach it

alcanzó la costa a nado he swam to the coast

este coche alcanza los 200 km/h this car can do up to o reach 200 km/h

el desempleo ha alcanzado un máximo histórico unemployment is at o has reached an all-time high

3 to achieve (lograr) (objetivo).

alcanzar la fama/el éxito to achieve fame/success

4 to hit.

le alcanzaron dos disparos he was hit by two shots

5 to reach up to, to reach, to reach at, to get at.

Yo alcanzo el techo I reach up to the ceiling.

6 to have enough.

Me alcanzó la gasolina I had enough gas.

7 to attain, to come to, to achieve, to get.

Alcanzo la felicidad I attain happiness.

8 to get to, to come up to, to come to.

Alcancé la frontera I got to the border.

9 to reach up for, to get.

Yo alcancé la caja sobre el armario I reached up for the box above the armoire.

10 to manage to, to be able to, to get to.

Mario alcanzó ver el ocaso Mario managed to see the sunset.

11 to be enough.

Alcanzó la comida There was enough food.

12 to fit.

Yo alcanzo I fit

13 to pass, to hand, to hand over.

María alcanzó la sal Mary passed the salt.

* * *

Conjugation model [ REALIZAR], like realizar

► verbo transitivo

1 (gen) to reach

■ no alcanzo el libro I can't reach the book

2 (persona) to catch up, catch up with

■ los alcanzamos en la esquina we'll catch up with them at the corner

3 (pasar) to pass, hand over

■ alcánzame el agua pass me some water

4 (entender) to understand, grasp

5 (conseguir) to attain, achieve

■ alcanzamos los objetivos we achieved the goals

6 (golpear) to hit

■ el tiro la alcanzó en el pie the shot hit her in the foot

7 (afectar) to affect

■ eso no nos alcanza it doesn't affect us

► verbo intransitivo

1 (ser suficiente) to be sufficient ( para, for), be enough ( para, for), suffice ( para, for)

■ eso no alcanza para todos that's not enough for all of us

2 (ser capaz) to manage, succeed

■ no alcanzo a verlo I can't see it

* * *

1) to reach

2) catch up with

3) achieve, attain

4) suffice, be enough

* * *

1. VT

1) [en carrera]

a) [+ persona] (=llegar a la altura de) to catch up (with)

b) [+ ladrón, autobús, tren] to catch

2) (=llegar a) [+ cima, límite, edad] to reach

3) (=conseguir) [+ acuerdo] to reach; [+ éxito, objetivo] to achieve

4) (=afectar) to affect

5) [bala] to hit

6) esp LAm (=dar) to pass

7) * (=entender) to grasp, understand

2. VI

1) (=llegar) to reach (a, hasta as far as)

2)

3) (=ser suficiente) to be enough

4) LAm (=ascender)

* * *

verbo transitivo

1)

a) < persona> ( llegar a la altura de) to catch up with, to catch... up (BrE); (pillar, agarrar) to catch

b) (en tarea, estatura) to catch up with

2) ( llegar a) < lugar> to reach, get to; <temperatura/nivel/edad> to reach

3) (conseguir, obtener) <objetivo/éxito> to achieve; < acuerdo> to reach

4) (acercar, pasar)

5)

a) bala/misil to hit

b) ( afectar) to affect

1) ( llegar)

2) ( ser suficiente) comida/provisones to be enough

* * *

= attain, gain, reach, run to, catch up with, reach for.

Ex. A fully comparative account of recommendations for filing orders is likely to prove confusing until the reader has attained some familiarity with the general problems, and the solutions offered by one code.

Ex. To many, therefore, this emphasis on information can provide a much-needed opportunity to gain the public library new influence and respect.

Ex. This is in part due to the different stages of development reached by different libraries.

Ex. Obviously a book on the chemistry of mercury which runs to 200 pages will give less detail than one which runs to 600 pages.

Ex. The information centre is now catching up with the belief of its 1984 architect that it would be an electronic library.

Ex. She said that a man came in with a ski mask on but that she was able to scare him away when she reached for a baseball bat.

----

* alcanzar a ver = glimpse.

* alcanzar + Cantidad = run into + Cantidad.

* alcanzar cotas más altas = raise to + greater heights.

* alcanzar dimensiones épicas = reach + epic proportions.

* alcanzar el culmen de = reach + the pinnacle of, reach + the height of.

* alcanzar el destino de Uno = reach + Posesivo + destination.

* alcanzar el estrellato = rise to + stardom, reach + stardom.

* alcanzar el límite de = reach + the limits of.

* alcanzar el límite de + Posesivo + capacidad = stretch + Nombre + beyond the breaking point, stretch + Nombre + to breaking point, stretch + Nombre + to the limit.

* alcanzar el límite de + Posesivo + posibilidades = reach + the limits of + Posesivo + potential.

* alcanzar el máximo = reach + a head.

* alcanzar el momento cumbre = reach + summit.

* alcanzar el punto crítico = come to + a head.

* alcanzar el punto culminante = climax.

* alcanzar el punto de ebullición = reach + boiling point.

* alcanzar el punto más álgido = peak, come into + full bloom.

* alcanzar la cifra de = total.

* alcanzar la cumbre de = reach + the pinnacle of, reach + the height of.

* alcanzar la cúspide de = reach + the pinnacle of, reach + the height of.

* alcanzar la fama = rise to + stardom, reach + stardom.

* alcanzar la madurez = come to + maturity, bring to + maturity, achieve + maturity, reach + maturity.

* alcanzar la mayoría de edad = come of + age.

* alcanzar la plenitud = come to + full flower.

* alcanzar masa crítica = reach + critical mass, achieve + critical mass.

* alcanzar mayores cotas = rise to + greater heights.

* alcanzar niveles mínimos = reach + a low ebb.

* alcanzar popularidad = catch on.

* alcanzar + Posesivo + apogeo = peak.

* alcanzar + Posesivo + fin = reach + Posesivo + end.

* alcanzar + Posesivo + mejor momento = peak.

* alcanzar + Posesivo + mejor momento demasiado pronto = peak + too early.

* alcanzar + Posesivo + punto álgido = reach + Posesivo + peak.

* alcanzar proporciones alarmantes = reach + alarming proportions.

* alcanzar proporciones catastróficas = reach + catastrophic proportions.

* alcanzar proporciones de crisis = grow to + crisis proportions.

* alcanzar proporciones desmesuradas = reach + epic proportions.

* alcanzar proporciones épicas = reach + epic proportions.

* alcanzar proporciones exageradas = reach + epic proportions.

* alcanzar su auge = reach + Posesivo + height.

* alcanzar una conclusión = reach + conclusion, arrive at + conclusion.

* alcanzar una cota = hit + high.

* alcanzar una coyuntura crítica = reach + a critical juncture.

* alcanzar un acuerdo = reach + agreement, reach + compromise, hammer out + agreement.

* alcanzar una decisión = arrive at + decision.

* alcanzar una meta = accomplish + goal, achieve + goal, meet + Posesivo + goal.

* alcanzar una solución = arrive at + a solution.

* alcanzar un compromiso = reach + agreement.

* alcanzar un objetivo = attain + goal.

* alcanzar un precio = fetch + Dinero.

* hasta donde alcance = to the limits of.

* hasta donde alcanza la vista = as far as the eye can see.

* intentar alcanzar = reach for.

* no alcanzar a + Infinitivo (con mucho) = fall (far) short of + Gerundio.

* un medio para alcanzar un fin = a means to an end.

* * *

verbo transitivo

1)

a) < persona> ( llegar a la altura de) to catch up with, to catch... up (BrE); (pillar, agarrar) to catch

b) (en tarea, estatura) to catch up with

2) ( llegar a) < lugar> to reach, get to; <temperatura/nivel/edad> to reach

3) (conseguir, obtener) <objetivo/éxito> to achieve; < acuerdo> to reach

4) (acercar, pasar)

5)

a) bala/misil to hit

b) ( afectar) to affect

1) ( llegar)

2) ( ser suficiente) comida/provisones to be enough

* * *

* * *

alcanzar [A4 ]

1 ‹persona› (llegar a la altura de) to catch up with, to catch … up ( BrE); (pillar, agarrar) to catch

a este paso no los vamos a alcanzar nunca at this rate we'll never catch up with them o catch them up

¡a que no me alcanzas! bet you can't catch me! ( colloq)

2 (en los estudios, en una tarea) to catch … up, to catch up with; (en estatura) to catch up with

empecé después que tú y ya te alcancé I started after you and I've caught up with you already

¡qué alto está! cualquier día alcanzará a su hermano look how tall he's getting! he'll be catching up with his brother soon!

1 ‹lugar› to reach, get to

los bomberos habían logrado alcanzar el segundo piso the firemen had managed to reach o get up to the second floor

a pesar del tráfico alcancé el avión/tren despite the traffic I managed to catch the plane/train

lo alcancé con un palo I used a pole to get at it o reach it

2 ‹temperatura› to reach; ‹edad/pubertad› to reach

el termómetro alcanzó los 40 grados the thermometer got up to o reached o registered 40 degrees

estos árboles alcanzan una gran altura these trees can reach o grow to a great height

algunos lagos alcanzan los 300 metros de profundidad some lakes are as deep as 300 meters o reach depths of 300 meters

un libro donde la estupidez alcanza su máxima expresión a book in which stupidity reaches its peak o which is the ultimate in stupidity

el aire expulsado alcanza una velocidad de 120 km/h the air expelled reaches a speed of 120 kph

el proyectil alcanzaba distancias de casi 1.000 metros the projectile could reach distances of o had a range of almost 1,000 meters

alcanzar la mayoría de edad to come of age, to reach the age of majority

3 (conseguir, obtener) ‹objetivo/resultado› to achieve; ‹acuerdo› to reach; ‹fama/éxito› to achieve

alcanzó todas las metas que se propuso en la vida he achieved all the goals he set himself in life

los resultados alcanzados hasta ahora son excelentes the results achieved o attained up to now have been excellent

los acuerdos alcanzados en materia de desarme the agreements reached in the field of disarmament

se pretende alcanzar una recaudación de 100 millones de pesos they are hoping to take in ( AmE) o ( BrE) take as much as 100 million pesos

los candidatos no alcanzaban el nivel requerido the candidates did not reach o meet the required standard

C (acercar, pasar) alcanzarle algo A algn to pass sb sth, to pass sth TO sb

¿me alcanzas ese libro? could you pass me that book?

1 «bala/misil» to hit

el número de barcos alcanzados por misiles the number of ships hit by missiles

(afectar): la medida ha alcanzado a la clase trabajadora the measure has affected the working classes

(llegar): está muy alto, no alcanzo it's too high, I can't reach it

hasta donde alcanzaba la vista as far as the eye could see

alcanzar A + INF to manage to + INF

no alcanzó a terminar she didn't manage to finish

hasta donde alcanzo a ver, la situación no tiene arreglo as far as I can see there's no solution

algo que la mente humana no alcanza a entender something which the human mind cannot comprehend

(ser suficiente): el pollo no alcanzará para todos there won't be enough chicken for everyone o to go round

el sueldo no le alcanza he can't manage o get by on his salary

me alcanzará hasta final de mes it will see me through to the end of the month

no me alcanza el papel para envolver el regalo I haven't got enough paper to wrap the present in

con que le des una limpiadita, alcanza if you give it a quick clean, that will do o that will be good enough

* * *

a) ‹ persona› ( llegar a la altura de) to catch up with, to catch … up (BrE);

◊ lo alcancé en la curva I caught up with him on the bend;

b) (en tarea, estatura) to catch up with

◊ casi no alcanzo el tren I almost missed the train;

◊ hasta donde alcanzaba la vista as far as the eye could see;

◊ el sueldo no le alcanza he can't manage on his salary

* * *

♦ vt

1. [igualarse con] to catch up with;

si estudias duro, alcanzarás a tu hermana if you study hard you'll catch up with your sister;

¿a que no me alcanzas? bet you can't catch me!;

vayan ustedes delante que ya los alcanzaré you go on ahead, I'll catch you up

2. [llegar a] to reach;

alcanzar el autobús to catch the bus;

lo alcancé con una escalera I used a ladder to reach it;

los termómetros alcanzarán mañana los 30 grados the temperature tomorrow will reach o go as high as 30 degrees;

alcanzar la mayoría de edad to come of age;

alcanzar la meta to reach the finishing line;

alcanzar un precio alto [en subasta] to sell for o obtain a high price;

alcanzó la costa a nado he swam to the coast;

su sueldo no alcanza el salario mínimo she earns less than the minimum wage;

este coche alcanza los 200 km/h this car can do up to o reach 200 km/h;

el desempleo ha alcanzado un máximo histórico unemployment is at o has reached an all-time high

3. [lograr] to obtain;

alcanzar un objetivo to achieve a goal;

alcanzó su sueño tras años de trabajo after years of work, he achieved his dream;

el equipo alcanzó su segundo campeonato consecutivo the team won o achieved their second championship in a row;

alcanzar la fama/el éxito to achieve fame/success;

alcanzar la madurez to come of age, to reach maturity

4. [entregar] to pass;

alcánzame la sal could you pass me the salt?;

alcánzame ese jarrón, que no llego hasta el estante could you get that vase down for me, I can't reach the shelf

5. [golpear, dar] to hit;

el proyectil alcanzó de lleno el centro de la ciudad the shell exploded right in the centre of the city;

le alcanzaron dos disparos he was hit by two shots;

el árbol fue alcanzado por un rayo the tree was struck by lightning

6. [afectar] to affect;

la epidemia no les alcanzó they were unaffected by the epidemic;

la sequía no alcanza a esta provincia this province has been untouched by the drought

♦ vi

1. [ser suficiente]

el sueldo no me alcanza para llegar a fin de mes my salary isn't enough to make ends meet;

no sé si alcanzará para todos I don't know if there'll be enough for everyone

2. [poder]

alcancé a verlo unos segundos I managed to see him for a few seconds;

no alcanzo a comprender por qué I can't begin to understand why;

no alcanzo a ver lo que quieres decir I can't quite see what you mean

3. [llegar]

hasta donde alcanza la vista as far as the eye can see;

hasta donde alcanzo a recordar as far back as I can remember

* * *

I v/t a alguien catch up with; lugar reach, get to; en nivel reach; objetivo achieve; cantidad amount to;

alcanzar la cifra de amount to, stand at

II v/i

1 en altura reach

2 en cantidad be enough;

el dinero no alcanza I/we etc can’t afford it

alcanzar a oír/ver manage to hear/see

* * *

alcanzar {21} vt

1) : to reach

2) : to catch up with

3) lograr: to achieve, to attain

alcanzar vi

1) dar: to suffice, to be enough

alcanzar a : to manage to

* * *

alcanzar vb

1. (en general) to reach

2. (conseguir) to achieve

3. (pillar) to catch up [pt. & pp. caught]

4. (bastar) to be enough

1 to kill (quitar la vida a).

lo mataron a puñaladas he was stabbed to death

si se entera me mata (informal figurative) she'll kill me if she finds out

¡me vas a matar a disgustos! you'll be the death of me!

estar o llevarse a matar (con alguien) to be at daggers drawn (with somebody)

matarlas callando (informal) to be up to something on the quiet

El pillo ultima a sus víctimas The bandit executes his victims.

2 to slaughter (animal) (para consumo).

3 to tone down (apagar) (color).

4 to round (off).

* * *

► verbo transitivo

1 (persona - gen) to kill; (- asesinar) to murder

2 (animal - gen) to kill; (- para alimentación) to slaughter

3 familiar (sorprender) to have on, kid

■ ¿que se ha fugado? ¡no me mates! he ran away? you're having me on!

4 familiar (incomodar, causar dolor) to kill; (volver loco) to drive mad

■ estos zapatos me están matando this shoes are killing me

5 (dejar pasmado) to amaze, stun

■ me han matado con el cambio de jefe the change of boss really knocked me sideways

6 (pasar) to kill

■ mientras, voy a matar el tiempo dando una vuelta meanwhile, I'll go for a walk just to kill time

7 (satisfacer - sed) to quench; (- hambre) to stay, stave off

8 (inutilizar - sello) to frank

9 (destruir - ilusiones) to kill

10 (limar - arista, esquina) to round

11 (suavizar - color) to tone down

12 argot (porro, cigarrillo) to stub out

► verbo pronominal matarse

1 (involuntariamente) to die; (voluntariamente) to kill oneself

■ se mató en un accidente de tráfico she was killed in a car crash

\

llevarse a matar con alguien to be at daggers drawn with somebody

matarlas callando to be a wolf in a sheep's clothing

matarse a trabajar to work oneself to death

que me maten si... I'll be damned if...

* * *

1) to kill

2) butcher, slaughter

3) pass, waste

* * *

1. VT

1) [+ persona] to kill; [+ reses, ganado] to kill, slaughter

- matarlas callando

- entre todos la mataron y ella sola se murió

2) [+ tiempo, pelota] to kill; [+ sed] to quench; [+ sello] to postmark, cancel; [+ pieza] [en ajedrez] to take; [+ cal] to slake; [+ ángulo, borde] to file down; [+ color] to dull

3) * (=molestar)

4) * (=sorprender)

VI to kill

- estar o llevarse a matar con algn

matarse

* * *

verbo transitivo

1)

a) < persona> to kill; < reses> to slaughter

b) ( en sentido hiperbólico)

2) (fam) < sed> to quench; < tiempo> to kill

3)

a) < pelota> to kill

b) < carta> to cover

matarse v pron

1)

a) ( morir violentamente)

b) (refl) ( suicidarse) to kill oneself

2) (fam)

a) ( esforzarse)

b) (Méx fam) ( para un examen) to cram (colloq), to swot (BrE colloq)

* * *

= do in, kill, murder, massacre, slaughter, slay.

Ex. When I saw what he was up to, I drew back for a punch and hit him so hard on the nose that he fell on his back and lay there for some time, so that his wife stood over him and cried out 'Mercy! You've done my husband in!'.

Ex. He was looking for the book 'Flowers and Bullets and Freedom to kill' = Estaba buscando el libro "Flores, balas y libertad para matar".

Ex. The man who was the real-life Don Juan may not have been murdered for his acts of seduction but for his possible homosexuality and political subversiveness.

Ex. In the 1994 Rwandan genocide, 800,000 people were massacred.

Ex. These small small but very sharp flakes were used by hunters to slaughter animals.

Ex. A bronze statue of David slaying Goliath has been unveiled in Florence today after months of painstaking restoration work.

----

* Algo que se hace para matar el tiempo = time filler.

* a mata caballo = in a hurry, hurried, hurriedly, helter-skelter.

* ansias de matar = bloodlust.

* así me maten = for the life of me.

* comer Algo para matar el gusanillo = eat + Comida + to keep + Nombre + going.

* deseo de matar = bloodlust.

* disparar a matar = shoot to + kill.

* hay miradas que matan = if looks could kill....

* incapaz de matar una mosca = wouldn't hurt a fly.

* licencia para matar = licence to kill.

* lo que a uno cura a otro mata = one man's meat is another man's poison.

* máquina de matar = killing machine.

* matar a alguien = take + life.

* matar a cuchillazos = stab + Nombre + to death, knife + Nombre + to death.

* matar a disparos = shoot + Nombre + dead.

* matar al enemigo = take + no prisoners.

* matar a palos = beat + Nombre + to death.

* matar a puñaladas = stab + Nombre + to death, stab + Nombre + to death, knife + Nombre + to death.

* matar con gas = gas.

* matar con la mirada = look + daggers at.

* matar de hambre = starve to + death.

* matar de un disparo = shoot, fatally + shoot.

* matar de un manotazo = swat.

* matar el rato = hang around, hang about, pootle, dawdle.

* matar el tiempo = kill + time.

* matar indiscriminadamente = take + no prisoners.

* matarlas callando = wolf in sheep's clothing.

* matarse trabajando = work + Reflexivo + to death, work + Reflexivo + to the ground, work + Posesivo + fingers to the bone.

* sed de matar = bloodlust.

* si las miradas mataran... = if looks could kill....

* tirar a matar = go for + the jugular, deadly force, shoot to + kill.

* * *

verbo transitivo

1)

a) < persona> to kill; < reses> to slaughter

b) ( en sentido hiperbólico)

2) (fam) < sed> to quench; < tiempo> to kill

3)

a) < pelota> to kill

b) < carta> to cover

matarse v pron

1)

a) ( morir violentamente)

b) (refl) ( suicidarse) to kill oneself

2) (fam)

a) ( esforzarse)

b) (Méx fam) ( para un examen) to cram (colloq), to swot (BrE colloq)

* * *

* * *

matar [A1 ]

1 ‹persona› to kill; ‹reses› to slaughter

lo mataron a golpes they beat him to death

lo mató con un cuchillo she stabbed him to death

lo mató un coche he was run over and killed by a car

hubo que matar al caballo the horse had to be put down o destroyed

entrar a matar ( Taur) to go in for the kill

la vida que llevas acabará matándote you're going to kill yourself with the sort of life you're leading

entre todos la mataron (y ella sola se murió) ( fr hecha); they are all to blame

así me maten or que me maten si no es verdad lo que digo may God strike me dead if I speak a word of a lie

las mata callando he's a wolf in sheep's clothing

matarlas ( Chi fam); to blow it ( colloq)

(en sentido hiperbólico): pobre de tu madre, la vas a matar a disgustos your poor mother, you'll be the death of her

es para matarlos, me hicieron esperar dos horas I could murder o kill them, they kept me waiting for two hours ( colloq)

en el colegio nos matan de or ( AmL) a hambre they starve us at school

cuando se entere me mata she'll kill me when she finds out ( colloq)

me mata tener que levantarme a estas horas it kills me having to get up at this time ( colloq)

¡me mataste, no tengo ni idea! ( fam); you've really got me there, I haven't a clue! ( colloq)

¿sabes que le dieron el puesto a Rodríguez? — ¡no me mates! ( fam); you know they gave Rodríguez the job? — you're kidding! ( colloq)

estos zapatos me matan these shoes are killing me!

B ( fam); ‹sed› to quench

compraron fruta para matar el hambre they bought some fruit to keep them going o to take the edge off their appetite

para matar el tiempo to kill time

1 ‹pelota› to kill

2 ‹carta› to cover

1 (causar muerte) to kill

no matarás ( Bib) thou shalt not kill

hay miradas que matan if looks could kill

estar or llevarse a matar to be at daggers drawn

( RPl fam) «vestido/escote»: un escote que mata a sensational low neckline

mataba con ese vestido she looked stunning o ( colloq) a knockout in that dress

(morir violentamente): se mató en un accidente she was killed in an accident

al bajar del tren casi me mato I almost got killed getting off the train

2 ( refl) (suicidarse) to kill oneself

se mató de un tiro she shot herself

1 ( fam)

(esforzarse): me maté estudiando or ( Esp) a estudiar y no aprobé I studied like crazy o mad and still didn't pass ( colloq)

no hace falta que te mates haciéndolo there's no need to go crazy o to go mad o to kill yourself ( colloq)

( Méx fam) «estudiante»: matarse en algo to cram sth ( colloq), to swot up (on) sth ( BrE colloq)

* * *

a) ‹ persona› to kill

b) ( sacrificar) ‹perro/caballo› to put down, destroy;

◊ lo mató un coche he was run over and killed by a car

c) ( en sentido hiperbólico):

◊ la vas a matar a disgustos you'll be the death of her;

◊ compraron fruta para matar el hambre they bought some fruit to keep them going

a) ( morir violentamente) to be killed;

◊ casi me mato I almost got killed

b) ( refl) ( suicidarse) to kill oneself;

◊ se mató de un tiro she shot herself

a) ( esforzarse): me maté estudiando or (Esp) a estudiar I studied like crazy o mad (colloq)

b) (Méx fam) ( para un examen) to cram (colloq), to swot (BrE colloq)

* * *

♦ vt

1. [quitar la vida a] to kill;

lo mató un rayo he was struck by lightning and killed;

lo mató un tren he died after being hit by a train;

lo mató de una puñalada/de un tiro en el corazón she killed him with a single stab/shot to the heart;

en este comedor nos matan de hambre the portions are terribly small in this canteen;

lo mataron a puñaladas they stabbed him to death, he was stabbed to death;

lo mataron a tiros they shot him (dead), he was shot (dead);

el alcohol la está matando alcohol is killing her;

como descubra al responsable, lo mato if I find out who's responsible I'll kill him;

si se entera me mata she'll kill me if she finds out;

es para matarte que no sepas eso you ought to be ashamed of yourself not knowing a thing like that;

matar dos pájaros de un tiro to kill two birds with one stone;

estar o [m5] llevarse a matar (con alguien) to be at daggers drawn (with sb);

matarlas callando [tramar algo] to be up to something on the quiet;

que me maten si: que me maten si lo entiendo I'm damned if I can understand it;

que me maten si no ocurrió así I swear to God that's what happened

2. [hacer sufrir, molestar mucho]

¡este calor/dolor me mata! the heat/pain is killing me!;

¡estos zapatos me están matando! these shoes are killing me!;

me matas con esas tonterías que dices you're driving me mad with all the nonsense you talk!

3. [apagar, hacer pasar] [color] to tone down;

mato las horas o [m5] el tiempo viendo la televisión I kill time watching television;

tomaré unas galletas para matar el hambre o [m5] el gusanillo I'll have some Br biscuits o US cookies to keep me going

4. [redondear, limar] to round (off)

5. [en juegos] [carta] to beat, to top;

6. Fam [destrozar, estropear] to ruin;

no quisiera matar sus ilusiones I don't want to dash your hopes;

el salón es bonito, pero ese cuadro lo mata the living-room is nice, but that picture totally ruins it

♦ vi

to kill;

no matarás [mandamiento] thou shalt not kill;

hay amores que matan you can love somebody too much;

hay miradas que matan if looks could kill;

que mata: tiene un olor que mata it smells disgusting;

con esa mini quedás que matás you look drop-dead gorgeous in that miniskirt

♦ See also the pronominal verb matarse

* * *

I v/t

1 persona, tiempo kill;

matar a tiros shoot dead, shoot to death;

matarlas callando fam be a wolf in sheep’s clothing

2 ganado slaughter

3 hambre satisfy; sed quench, slake

II v/i kill;

no matarás thou shalt not kill;

estar a matar con alguien be at daggers drawn with s.o.

* * *

matar vt

1) : to kill

2) : to slaughter, to butcher

3) apagar: to extinguish, to put out (fire, light)

4) : to tone down (colors)

5) : to pass, to waste (time)

6) : to trump (in card games)

matar vi

: to kill

♦ See also the reflexive verb matarse

* * *

matar vb to kill

or -AT or -T, a negative suffix to verbs, peculiar to Iceland and a part, at least, of Norway. Occurs frequently in old Icelandic poetry and laws, so as almost to form a complete negative voice. In the 1st pers. a personal pronoun k (g) = ek is inserted before the negative suffix, in the 2nd pers. a t or tt. As a rule the pron. as thus repeated; má-k-at-ek, non possum; sé-k-at-ek, non video; hef-k-at-ek, non habeo; skal-k-at-ek; vil-k-at-ek, nolo; mon-k-at-ek, non ero, etc.: 2nd pers. skal-t-at-tu; mon-t-at-tu; gaf-t-at-tu, non dabas: and after a long vowel a tt, mátt-at-tu, sátt-at-tu; so almost invariably in all monosyllabic verbal forms; but not so in bisyllabic ones, máttir-a-þú, non poteras: yet in some instances in the 1st pers. a pronominal g is inserted, e. g. bjargi-g-a-k, verbally servem ego non ego; höggvi-g-a-k, non cædam; stöðvi-g-a-k, quin sistam; vildi-g-a-k, nolui; hafði-g-a-k, non babui; mátti-g-a-k, non potui; görði-g-a-k, non feci: if the verb has gg as final radical consonants, they change into kk, e. g. þikk-at-ek = þigg-k-at-ek, nolo accipere. In the 3rd pers. a and at or t are used indifferently, t being particularly suffixed to bisyllabic verbal flexions ending in a vowel, in order to avoid an hiatus,—skal-at or skal-a, non erit; but skolo-t, non sunto: forms with an hiatus, however, occur,—bíti-a, non mordat; renni-a, ne currat; skríði-a, id.; leti-a, ne retardet; væri-a, ne esset; urðu-a, non erant; but bíti-t, renni-t, skríði-t, urðu-t are more current forms: v. Lex. Poët. The negative suffix is almost peculiar to indic., conj., and imperat. moods; the neg. infin. hardly occurs. Nothing analogous to this form is to be found in any South-Teutonic idiom; neither do there remain any traces of its having been used in Sweden or Denmark. A single exception is the Runic verse on a stone monument in Öland, an old Danish province, now Swedish, where however the inscriptions may proceed from a Norse or Icel. hand. The Runic inscriptions run thus, sa’r aigi flo, who did not fly, old Icel. ‘flo-at,’ Baut. 1169. Neither does it occur in any Norse prose monuments (laws): but its use may yet be inferred from its occurrence in Norse poets of the 10th century, e. g. the poets Eyvind and Thiodolf; some of which instances, however, may be due to their being transmitted through Icel. oral tradition. In Bragi Gamli (9th century) it occurs twice or thrice; in the Haustlöng four times, in Ynglingatal four times, in Hákonarmál once (all Norse poems of the 10th century). In Icel. the suffixed negation was in full force through the whole of the 10th century. A slight difference in idioms, however, may be observed: Völuspá, e. g., prefers the negation by né (using vas-at only once, verse 3). In the old Hávamal the suffix abounds (being used thirty-five times), see the verses 6, 10, 11, 18, 26, 29, 30, 34, 37–39, 49, 51, 52, 68, 74, 88, 113–115, 126–128, 130, 134, 136, 147, 149, 151, 153, 159. In Skírnismál, Harbarðsljóð, Lokasenna—all these poems probably composed by the same author, and not before the 10th century—about thirty times, viz. Hbl. 3, 4, 8, 14, 26, 35, 56; Skm. 5, 18, 22; Ls. 15, 16, 18, 25, 28, 30, 36, 42, 47, 49, 56, 60, 62. Egil (born circa 900, died circa 990) abounds in the use of the suffixed neg. (he most commonly avails himself of -at, -gi, or né): so, too, does Hallfred (born circa 968, died 1008), Einar Skálaglam in Vellekla (circa 940–995), and Thorarin in the Máhlíðingavísur (composed in the year 981); and in the few epigrams relating to the introduction of Christianity in Icel. (995–1000) there occur mon-k-að-ek, tek-k-at-ek, vil-k-at-ek, hlífði-t, mon-a, es-a; cp. the Kristni S. and Njala. From this time, however, its use becomes more rare. Sighvat (born circa 995, died 1040) still makes a frequent but not exclusive use of it. Subsequent poets use it now and then as an epic form, until it disappeared almost entirely in poetry at the middle or end of the 13th century. In the Sólarljóð there is not a single instance. The verses of some of our Sagas are probably later than the Sagas themselves; the greatest part of the Völsungakviður are scarcely older than the 11th century. In all these -at and conj. eigi are used indifferently. In prose the laws continued to employ the old forms long after they were abolished in common prose. The suffixed verbal negation was used,

α. in the delivering of the oath in the Icel. Courts, esp. the Fifth Court, instituted about the year 1004; and it seems to have been used through the whole of the Icel. Commonwealth (till the year 1272). The oath of the Fifth (High) Court, as preserved in the Grágás, runs in the 1st pers., hefka ek fé borit í dóm þenna til liðs mér um sök þessa, ok ek monka bjóða, hefka ek fundit, ok monka ek finna, hvárki til laga né ólaga, p. 79; and again p. 81, only different as to ek hefka, ek monka (new Ed.): 3rd pers., hefirat hann fé; borit í dóm þenna ok monat hann bjóða, ok hefirat hann fundit, ok monat hann tinna, 80, 81; cp. also 82, and Nj. l. c. ch. 145, where it is interesting to observe that the author confounds the ist and 3rd persons, a sign of decay in grammatical form.

β. the Speaker (lögsögumaðr), in publicly reciting and explaining the law, and speaking in the name of the law, from the Hill of Laws (lögberg), frequently employed the old form, esp. in the legal words of command es and skal (yet seldom in plur.): erat in the dictatorial phrases, erat skyldr (skylt), non esto obligatus; erat landeigandi skyldr, Grág. (Kb.) i. 17; erat hinn skyldr, 21; yngri maðr era skyldr at fasta, 35; enda erat honum þá skylt at …, 48; erat þat sakar spell, 127; era hinn þá skyldr at lýsa, 154; erat hann framar skyldr sakráða, 216; ok erat hann skyldr at ábyrgjask þat fé, 238; ok erat hann skyldr, id.; ok erat sakar aðili ella skyldr, ii. 74; erat hinn skyldr við at taka, 142; erat manni skylt at taka búfé, 143; enda erat heimting til fjár þess, 169; era hann þá skyldr at taka við í öðru fé nema hann vili, 209; ok erat þeim skylt at tíunda fé sitt, 211; ok erat hann skyldr at gjalda tíund af því, 212; erat kirkjudrottinn þá skyldr, 228; ef hann erat landeigandi, i. 136. Skalat: skalat maðr eiga fó óborit, i. 23; skalat homum þat verða optar en um siun, 55; skalat maðr ryðja við sjálfan sik, 62; skalat hann þat svá dvelja, 68; skalat hann til véfangs ganga, 71; skalat aðilja í stefnuvætti hafa, 127; ok skala hann gjalda fyrir þat, 135; ok skalat hann með sök fara, 171; enda skalat hann fleirum baugum bœta, 199; skalat hann skilja félagit, 240; skalat hann meiri skuld eiga en, ii. 4; skalat þeim meðan á brott skipta, 5; skalat hann lögvillr verða, svá, 34; skalat hon at heldr varðveita þat fé, 59; í skalat enn sami maðr þar lengr vera, 71; ok skala honum bæta þat, 79; skalat fyl telja, 89; skalat hann banna fiskför, 123; skalat hann lóga fé því á engi veg, 158; skalat drepa þá menn, 167; skalat svá skipta manneldi, 173; skalat maðr reiðast við fjórðungi vísu, 183. Plur.: skolut menn andvitni bera ok hér á þingi, i. 68; skolut mál hans standast, 71; skolut þeir færi til vefangs ganga en, 75, etc. etc. Other instances are rare: tekrat þar fé er eigi er til (a proverb), i. 9; ok um telrat þat til sakbóta, ok of telrat þá til sakbóta ( it does not count), 178; ef hann villat ( will not) lýsa sár sitt, 51; ok ræðrat hann öðrum mönnum á hendr þann úmaga, 248; ræðrat sá sínum ómögum á hendr, ii. 18; verðrat honum at sakarspelli and verðrat honum þat at s., i. 63; verðrat honum þat at sakarvörn, 149; kömrat hann öðru við, ii. 141; þarfat hann bíða til þess, i. 70; ok skilrat hann frá aðra aura, ii. 141, i. 136. Reflexive form: kömskat hann til heimtingar um þat fé, he loses the claim to the money, ii. 180, etc. All these instances are taken from the Kb. (Ed. 1853). Remarkable is also the ambiguity in the oath of Glum (see Sir Edm. Head, Viga-Glum, pp. 102, 103, note, I. c.), who, instead of the plain common formal oath—vask-at-ek þar, vák-at-ek þar, rauðk-at-ek þar odd ok egg—said, vask at þar, vák at þar, rauðk at þar. He inverted the sense by dropping the intermediate pronominal ek between the verb and þar, and pronouncing ‒ ‒́ instead of ‒́ ⏑. It further occurs in some few proverbs: varat af vöru, sleikði um þvöru, Fs. 159; veldrat sá er varir, Nj. 61 (now commonly ekki veldr sá er v., so in Grett.); erat héra at borgnara þótt hœna beri skjöld, Fms. vii. 116; era hlums vant kvað refr, dró hörpu á ísi, 19: also in some phrases, referred to as verba ipsissima from the heathen age—erat vinum líft Ingimundar, Fs. 39; erat sjá draumr minni, Ld. 128. Thorodd employs it twice or thrice: því at ek sékk-a þess meiri þörf, because í do not see any more reason for this, Skálda 167; kannka ek til þess meiri ráð en lítil, I do not know, id.; mona ( will not) mín móna ( my mammy) við mik göra verst hjóna, 163. In sacred translations of the 12th century it occurs now and then. In the Homilies and Dialogues of Gregory the Great: monatþu í því flóði verða, thou shalt not; esa þat undarligt þótt, it is not to be wondered at; hann máttia sofna, he could not sleep; moncaþ ek banna, I shall not mind, Greg. 51, 53; vasal kall heyrt á strætum, was not, Post. 645. 84; nú mona fríðir menn hér koma, Niðrst. 623. 7. In later writers as an archaism; a few times in the Al. (MS. A. M. 519), 3, 5, 6, 44, 108; and about as many times in the MS. Eirspennill (A. M. 47, fol.) [Etymon uncertain; that at is the right form may be inferred from the assimilation in at-tu, and the anastrophe in t, though the reason for the frequent dropping of the t is still unexplained. The coincidence with the Scottish dinna, canna is quite accidental.]