Eira

Old Norse Dictionary - eira

Meaning of Old Norse word "eira" in English.

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

eira Old Norse word can mean:

eira: 1. ð, [A. S. ârian = parcere], to spare, with dat.; hafa allir hlutir unnit eiða at e. Baldri (not to hurt Balder), Edda 37; hann eirði öngu hvárki í orðum né verkum, he spared naught either in word or work, Nj. 184, FmS. vii. 312; at þeir skyldu e. konum ok kirkjum, spare women and churches, Sturl. iii. 40; e. undan e-u, to yield; höfum vér lengi undan eirt fjandskap yðrum, Ld. 204; kvað hann þá ekki mundu tjá at letja sik, kvaðsk lengi hafa undan eirt, FmS. vii. 244; ok meir þykjumk vér undan eira, Sturl. i. 72; eptir þetta ríða þeir Ögmundr í brott, ok eirir hann undan þá enn fyrst, iii. 103.

eira: β. imperS., e-m eirir e-t illa, it displeases one, i. e. to feel ill at rest with a thing; illa eirði mér fall þitt, Flóv. 29; Eiríki konungi eirði þetta stórilla, FmS. i. 19; honum eirir illa ef hann hefir eigi sitt mál, Ísl. ii. 236; Bergi eirði hit versta, FS. 53; eira vel (ironically), to be well pleased, meira efni hefir hann til eldingar en honum megi vel eira inni at vera, 45: to do for one, vitum hve oss eiri öl þat er Bárðr of signdi, let us see how Bard’s draught will agree with us, Eg. ch. 44 (in a verse); Egill fann, at honum mundi ekki svá búit eira, E. felt, that this would not do, Eg. 552. In mod. usage, eira means to feel at rest (= una), of a man or beast who is restless or runs from one place to another,—it is said ‘hann eirir hvergi,’ he can nowhere rest; the other senses are obsolete.

eira: 2. u, f. rest, = eirð.

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.: Anglo-Saxon.

dat.: dative.

l.: line.

S.: Saga.

ch.: chapter.

i. e.: id est.

impers.: impersonal.

mod.: modern.

pers.: person.

v.: vide.

f.: feminine.

Works & Authors cited:

Edda: Edda. (C. I.)

Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)

Ld.: Laxdæla Saga. (D. II.)

Nj.: Njála. (D. II.)

Sturl.: Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)

Eg.: Egils Saga. (D. II.)

Flóv.: Flóvents Saga. (G. II.)

Fs.: Forn-sögur. (D. II.)

➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

Also available in related dictionaries:

This headword also appears in dictionaries of other languages descending from Old Norse.