Gröf

Old Norse Dictionary - gröf

Meaning of Old Norse word "gröf" (or grǫf) in English.

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

gröf Old Norse word can mean:

gröf (grǫf)
f., gen. grafar, [Ulf. graba = χάραξ, Luke xix. 43], a pit, hole dug; settr í gröf, put into a pit, Grág. ii. 131; þar var undir gröf djúp, Eg. 234; íllvirkja gröf, a den of thieves, GrEg. 40. Matth. xxi. 13; ór hellum ok gröfum, 623. 58: in the saying, sér grefr gröf þó grafi, Sams. 19, Kveldv. ii. 193; ef blindr leiðir blindan þá falla þeir báðir í gröfina, Matth. xv. 14: a charcoal pit, Grág. ii. 297; kola-gröf, a coal pit, peat pit, Vm. 156; mó-gröf, torf-gröf; grafar-görð, burning charcoal, Grág. ii. 298, Jb. 239, Dipl. v. 3; grafar-menn, pitmen, Hkr. ii. 249: freq. as a local name, Gröf and Grafir, prob. from charcoal pits. grafar-lækr, m. a brook which has dug itself a deep bed, a hollow brook, Sturl. iii. 257.
gröf (grǫf)
II. [Engl. grave; Germ. grabe; Dan. grav; Swed. graf], a grave, Ld. 286, and in numberless instances. grafar-bakki, a, m. and grafar-barmr, m. the verge of the grave: in the phrase, vera kominn á grafar-bakkann, to stand on the edge of the grave.

Orthography: The Cleasby & Vigfusson book used letter ö to represent the original Old Norse vowel ǫ. Therefore, gröf may be more accurately written as grǫf.

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

Abbreviations used:

f.
feminine.
freq.
frequent, frequently.
gen.
genitive.
l.
line.
m.
masculine.
n.
neuter.
pl.
plural.
prob.
probably.
Ulf.
Ulfilas.
v.
vide.
Dan.
Danish.
Engl.
English.
Germ.
German.
gl.
glossary.
Swed.
Swedish.

Works & Authors cited:

Dipl.
Diplomatarium. (J. I.)
Eg.
Egils Saga. (D. II.)
Grág.
Grágás. (B. I.)
Greg.
Gregory. (F. II.)
Hkr.
Heimskringla. (E. I.)
Jb.
Jóns-bók. (B. III.)
Sturl.
Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)
Vm.
Vilkins-máldagi. (J. I.)
Ld.
Laxdæla Saga. (D. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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