Brók

Old Norse Dictionary - brók

Meaning of Old Norse word "brók" in English.

As defined by the Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse to English dictionary:

brók Old Norse word can mean:

brók
pl. brækr, [Lat. braca, only in pl.]; this word is of Celtic origin, and identical with the Gaelic braecan = tartan:
brók
I. tartan or party-coloured cloth, from Gaelic breac = versicolor. Roman writers oppose the Celtic ‘braca’ to the Roman ‘toga;’ Gallia Bracata, Tartan Gaul, and Gallia Togata; ‘versicolore sagulo, bracas, tegmen barbarum indutus,’ Tac. Hist. 2, 20, where it exactly answers to the Scot. tartan, the national dress of Celts; a similar sense remains in the Icel. names lang-brók, a surname to a lady because of her tall stature, Nj., Landn.; há-brók, the poët. name of the hawk, from his chequered plumage (?), Gm. 44; loð-brók, the name of the famous mythical Danish king, shaggy coat, though the reason for the name is otherwise given in Ragn. S. ch. I; the name of the Danish flag of war Dannebrog, qs. Dana-brók, pannus Danicus.
brók
II. breeches. Scot. breeks, the sing. denoting one leg; fótinn ok brókina, Eb. 242; ok let hann leika laust knæt í brókinni, FmS. vii. 170: pl. skyrtu gyrða í brækr, Háv. 39, Ld. 136, Stj. 63. Gen. ix. 22, Fbr. 160, FmS. xi. 150, Vápn. 4; leista-brækr, breeches with the socks fixed to them. Eb. l. c.; blárendar (blue-striped) brækr, Nj. 184; the lesser outlawry might be inflicted by law on a woman wearing breeches, v. the curious passage in Ld. l. c. ch. 35; the passage, berbeinn þú stendr ok hefir brautingja görvi, þatkiþú hafir brækr þínar, bare-legged thou standest, in beggarly attire, without even thy breeches on, Hbl. 6—the poet probably knew the Highland dress; cp. also the story of king Magnús of Norway (died A. D. 1103); hann hafði mjök þá siðu um klæða búnað, sem títt var í Vestrlöndum (viz. Scotland), ok margir hans menn, at þeir gengu berleggjaðir, höfðu stutta kyrtla ok svá yfirhafnir, ok kölluðu margir menn hann Berbein eðr Berfætt, FmS. vii. 63: proverbs, barnið vex, en brókin ekki, the bairn grows, but the breeks not, advice to mothers making the first pair of breeks for a boy, not to make them too tight; þetta verðr aldri barn í brók, this will never be a bairn in breeks, i. e. this will never do.
brók
COMPDS: brókabelti, brókavaðmál, brókarsótt.

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:ᛒᚱᚢᚴ
Younger Futhark runes were used from 8th to 12th centuries in Scandinavia and their overseas settlements

Abbreviations used:

l.
line.
Lat.
Latin.
pl.
plural.
ch.
chapter.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
m.
masculine.
n.
neuter.
poët.
poetically.
qs.
quasi.
S.
Saga.
Scot.
Scottish.
A. D.
Anno Domini.
cp.
compare.
i. e.
id est.
l. c.
loco citato.
sing.
singular.
v.
vide.
viz.
namely.

Works & Authors cited:

Gm.
Grímnis-mál. (A. I.)
Landn.
Landnáma. (D. I.)
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
Ragn. S.
Ragnars Saga. (C. II.)
Eb.
Eyrbyggja Saga. (D. II.)
Fbr.
Fóstbræðra Saga. (D. II.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Háv.
Hávarðar Saga. (D. II.)
Hbl.
Harbarðs-ljóð. (A. I.)
Ld.
Laxdæla Saga. (D. II.)
Stj.
Stjórn. (F. I.)
Vápn.
Vápnfirðinga Saga. (D. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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