Hæll

Old Norse Dictionary - hæll

Meaning of Old Norse word "hæll" in English.

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

hæll Old Norse word can mean:

hæll: m. [Engl. heel, cp. Lat. calx: this is a Scandin. word, for the A. S. term is hóh, the Goth. fairzna,, the Germ. fersen]:—the heel, BS. i. 423, Hým. 34, n. G. l. i. 339, Stj. 37, passim.

hæll: 2. in phrases, hlaupa á hæla e-m, to follow at one’s heels, Nj. 202; falla á hæla e-m, to shut upon one’s heels, of a door; fara, ganga á hæla e-m, Edda 2, FmS. v. 316, viii. 36; fara aptr á hæli, to return immediately, like the Gr. κατα ποδας, Gísl. 272; mod. um hæl, adverb., in return, e. g. skrifa um hæl aptr, to write by return of post; hopa, fara (undan) á hæli, or á hæl, to recede, draw back, Eg. 296, 506, FmS. vii. 70, 298, viii. 134, x. 139, xi. 95, Bret. 46, Nj. 258, Karl. 375; milli hæls ok hnakka, between heel and neck: brjótask um á hæl ok hnakka, to struggle heel and neck, of one restless in sleep:—proverb. phrases, hann stígr aldrei þangat tánum sem hinn hafði hælana, he will never reach with his toes where the other had his heels, i. e. he is far inferior to his predecessor; það er undir hælinn lagt, it is laid under one’s heel, i. e. ‘tis very uncertain.

hæll: II. metaph., kjalar-hæll, ‘keel’s heel,’ the hindmost part of the keel; stýris-hæll, ‘rudder’s heel,’ the hindmost point of the rudder.

hæll: COMPDS: hælbein, hælbítr, hældrepa, hældrepa, hælkrókr, hælsíðr, hælstaðr.

hæll: B. A peg fastened in the earth, either for mooring a vessel (festar-h.) or by which a tent-rope is fastened (tjald-h.); jarðfastr hæll, Stj. 417, Korm. 86, FmS. vi. 334, Hkr. iii. 365, Blas, 48: the handle in a scythe shaft (orf-hæll), Fb. i. 522; hurðar-hælar, door pegs, n. G. l. i. 397, v. l.: belonging to a ship, Edda (gl.)

hæll: C. Prob. a different word, a widow whose husband has been slain in battle, Edda 108, cp. the pun in Eg. 763 (in a verse).

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.: Anglo-Saxon.

cp.: compare.

Engl.: English.

Germ.: German.

gl.: glossary.

Goth.: Gothic.

l.: line.

L.: Linnæus.

Lat.: Latin.

m.: masculine.

n.: neuter.

S.: Saga.

Scandin.: Scandinavia, Scandinavian.

adverb.: adverbially.

e. g.: exempli gratia.

Gr.: Greek.

i. e.: id est.

mod.: modern.

proverb.: proverbially.

s. v.: sub voce.

v.: vide.

metaph.: metaphorical, metaphorically.

v. l.: varia lectio.

Works & Authors cited:

Bs.: Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)

Hým.: Hýmis-kviða. (A. I.)

N. G. L.: Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)

Stj.: Stjórn. (F. I.)

Bret.: Breta Sögur. (G. I.)

Edda: Edda. (C. I.)

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

Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)

Gísl.: Gísla Saga. (D. II.)

Karl.: Karla-magnús Saga. (G. I.)

Nj.: Njála. (D. II.)

Fb.: Flateyjar-bók (E. I.)

Hkr.: Heimskringla. (E. I.)

Korm.: Kormaks Saga. (D. II.)

➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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