Gaman

Old Norse Dictionary - gaman

Meaning of Old Norse word "gaman" in English.

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

gaman Old Norse word can mean:

gaman: n., dat. gamni, (gafni, FaS. i. 176, FmS. x. 328, BæR. 9); [A. S. gomen, gamen; Engl. game; O. H. G. gaman; mid. H. G. gamen; Dan. gammen]:—game, sport, pleasure, amusement; in the sayings, lítið er ungs manns gaman; maðr er manns gaman, Hm. 46; and in the phrases, göra e-t að gamni sínu, or, sér til gamans, to do a thing for amusement; mart er sér til gamans gert, Tíma R.; jötni at gamni, Þkv. 23; var þá mest g. Egils at ræða við hana, Eg. 764; þykja g. at e-u, to make game of; þá mun Rútr hlæja ok þykja g. at, Rut will then laugh and be amused by it, Nj. 33: gaman þykir kerlingunni at móður várri, 68; henda g. at e-u, to make game of, BS. i. 790, ÞiðR. 226, Grett. 142 new Ed., FmS. xi. 109.

gaman: β. in proverbial sayings; kalt er kattar gamanið, cold is the cat’s play, i. e. she scratches; þá ferr að grána gamanið, the game begins to be rather rude; or, það fer að fara af gamanið, the game fares to be serious:—love, pleasure, poët., in the allit. phrase, hafa geð ok gaman konu, Hbl. 18, Hm. 98, 162; gamni mær undi, Hbl. 30; unna e-m gamans, Skm. 39, Fsm. 43, 51: coitus, er hann hafði-t gýgjar g., Vþm. 32.

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.: Anglo-Saxon.

Dan.: Danish.

dat.: dative.

Engl.: English.

gl.: glossary.

id.: idem, referring to the passage quoted or to the translation

l.: line.

m.: masculine.

mid. H. G.: middle High German.

n.: neuter.

O. H. G.: Old High German.

R.: Rimur.

S.: Saga.

v.: vide.

allit.: alliteration, alliterative.

i. e.: id est.

lit.: literally.

poët.: poetically.

Works & Authors cited:

Bs.: Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)

Bær.: Bærings Saga. (G. II.)

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

Fas.: Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)

Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)

Grett.: Grettis Saga. (D. II.)

Hm.: Hává-mál. (A. I.)

Nj.: Njála. (D. II.)

Þiðr.: Þiðreks Saga. (G. I.)

Þkv.: Þryms-kviða. (A. I.)

Fsm.: Fjölsvinns-mál. (A. II.)

Hbl.: Harbarðs-ljóð. (A. I.)

Skm.: Skírnis-mál. (A. I.)

Vþm.: Vafþrúðnis-mál. (A. I.)

➞ 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.