Hálfr

Old Norse Dictionary - hálfr

Meaning of Old Norse word "hálfr" in English.

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

hálfr Old Norse word can mean:

hálfr: adj., hálf (hlf), hálft, freq. spelt halbr, halb er öld hvar, Hm. 52; [Goth. halbs; A. S. healf; Engl. half; Hel. halba; Germ. halb; Dan. halv; Swed. half]:—half; hálfr mánuðr, half a month, a fortnight, Nj. 4; þar átti hann kyn hálft, Eg. 288; hálf stika, half a yard, Grág. i. 498; hálf Jól, the half of Yule, FS. 151, passim: adverb. phrases, til hálfs, by a half, Eg. 258, 304; aukinn hálfu, increased by half, doubled, Grág. i. 157, Gþl. 24.

hálfr: 2. with the notion of brief, scant, little; sjá hálf hýnótt, that little night, Skm. 42; hálf stund, a little while; eg skal ekki vera hálfa stund að því, i. e. I shall have done presently, in a moment; cp. hálb er öld hvar, only half, Hm. 52; með hálfum hleif, with half a loaf, a little loaf of bread, 51: an Icel. says to his guest, má eg bjóða þér í hálfum bolla, í hálfu staupi, hálfan munnbita, and the like.

hálfr: II. in counting Icel. say, hálfr annarr, half another, i. e. one and a half; h. þriði, half a third, i. e. two and a half; h. fjórði, three and a half; h. fimti, four and a half, etc.; thus, hálfan annan dag, one day and a half; hálft annað ár, hálfan annan mánuð, h. aðra nótt; hálf önnur stika, a yard and a half, Grág. i. 498; hálfa fimtu mörk, four marks and a half, 391; hálft annat hundrað, one hundred and a half, Sturl. i. 186; hálfr þriði tögr manna, two decades and a half, i. e. twenty-five, men, Ísl. ii. 387; hálfan fimta tög skipa, Hkr. iii. 374: similar are the compd adjectives hálf-þrítugr, aged twenty-five; hálf-fertugr, aged thirty-five; hálf-fimtugr, hálf-sextugr, -sjötugr, -áttræðr, -níræðr, -tíræðr, i. e. aged forty-five, fifty-five, sixty-five, seventy-five, eighty-five, ninety-five, and lastly, hálf-tólfræðr, one hundred and fifteen, Eg. 84, FmS. i. 148, GrEg. 60, Stj. 639, BS. i. 54, 101, Hkr. (pref.), Mar. 32, Íb. 18, Grett. 162, FS. 160: also of measure, hálf-fertugr föðmum, Landn. (App.) 324, FmS. vii. 217; hálf-þrítugt tungl, a moon twenty-five days’ old, Rb. 26: contracted, hálf-fjórðu mörk, three marks and a half, Am. 63; hálf-fimtu mörk, four marks and a half, Jm. 36: as to this use, cp. the Germ. andert-halb, dritt-halb, viert-halb, etc., Gr. τρίτον ἡμιτάλαντον (two talents and a half), Lat. sestertius.

hálfr: III. neut. hálfu with a comparative, in an intensive sense, far; hálfu verri, worse by half, far worse; hálfu meira, far more, FmS. vi. 201; hálfu heilli! Fb. i. 180; hálfu síðr, far less, Þórð. 41 new Ed., Fb. ii. 357; fremr hálfu, much farther ago, Hðm. 2; h. lengra, BS. ii. 48; h. betri, better by half; h. hógligra, far snugger, Am. 66; hálfu sæmri, Fb. ii. 334.

hálfr: β. with neg. suff.; hálft-ki, not half; at hálft-ki má óstyrkð ór bera, GrEg. 54.

hálfr: IV. a pr. name, rare, whence Hálfs-rekkr, m. pl. the champions of king Half, FaS.: Hálf-dan, m. Half-Dane, a pr. name, cp. Healf-Danes in Beowulf, FmS.

hálfr: B. The COMPDS are very numerous in adjectives, nouns, and participles, but fewer in verbs; we can record only a few, e. g. hálf-afglapi, a, m. half an idiot, Band. 4 new Ed. hálf-aukinn, part. increased by half, H. E. ii. 222. hálf-áttræðr, see above. hálf-bergrisi, a, m. half a giant, Eg. 23. hálf-berserkr, m. half a berserker, Sd. 129. hálf-björt, n. adj. half bright, dawning. hálf-blandinn, part. half blended, Stj. 85. hálf-blindr, adj. half blind. hálf-bolli, a, m. half a bowl (a measure), n. G. l. ii. 166. hálf-breiðr, adj. of half breadth, Jm. 2. hálf-brosandi, part. half smiling. hálf-bróðir, m. a half brother (on one side). hálf-brunninn, part. half burnt. hálf-bræðrungr, m. a half cousin, K. Á. 140. hálf-búinn, part. half done. hálf-dauðr, adj. half dead, Sturl. ii. 54, Magn. 530, Hkr. iii. 366. hálf-daufr, adj. half deaf. hálf-deigr, adj. damp. hálf-dimt, n. adj. half dark, in twilight. hálf-drættingr, m. a fisher-boy, who gets half the fish he catches, but not a full ‘hlutr.’ hálf-ermaðr, part. half sleeved, Sturl. iii. 306. hálf-etinn, part. half eaten, Al. 95. hálf-eyrir, m. half an ounce, FmS. x. 211. hálf-fallinn, part. half fallen, K. Á. 96; h. út sjór, of the tide. hálf-farinn, part. half gone. hálf-fertrugr, hálf-fimti, hálf-fimtugr, hálf-fjórði, see above (II). hálf-fífl, n. and hálf-fífla, u, f. half an idiot, FmS. vi. 218, BS. i. 286. hálf-fjórðungr, m. half a fourth part, BS. ii. 170. hálf-frosinn, part. half frozen. hálf-fúinn, part. half rotten. hálf-genginn, part. halving. hálf-gildi, n. half the value, Gþl. 392. hálf-gildr, adj. of half the value, n. G. l. hálf-gjalda, galt, to pay half, n. G. l. i. 174. hálf-grátandi, part. half weeping. hálf-gróinn, part. half healed. hálf-görr, part. half done, only half done, left half undone, FmS. ii. 62; litlu betr en hálfgört, GrEg. 24. hálfgörðar-bóndi, a, m. a man who has to furnish half a levy, D. n. hálf-hélufall, n. a slight fall of rime, Gísl. 154. hálf-hlaðinn, part. half laden, Jb. 411. hálf-hneppt, n. adj. a kind of metre, Edda 139. hálf-hræddr, adj. half afraid. hálf-kirkja, u, f. a ‘half-kirk,’ = mod. annexía, an annex-church, district church, or chapel of ease, Vm. 126, H. E. i. 430, ii. 138, Am. 28, Pm. 41, Dipl. v. 19; distinction is made between al-kirkja, hálf-kirkja, and bæn-hús, a chapel. hálf-kjökrandi, part. half choked with tears. hálf-klæddr, part. half dressed. hálf-konungr, m. a half king, inferior king, FmS. i. 83. hálf-kveðinn, part. half uttered; skilja hálfkveðit orð, or hálfkveðna vísu = Lat. verbum sat, MS. 4. 7. hálf-launat, n. part. rewarded by half, FmS. ii. 62, Grág. i. 304. hálf-leypa, u, f. a half laupr (a measure), B. K. passim, hálf-leystr, part. half loosened, GrEg. 55. hálf-lifandi, part. half alive, half dead, Mar. hálf-litr, adj. of a cloak, of two colours, one colour on each side, FmS. ii. 70, FaS. iii. 561, Sturl. ii. 32, iii. 112, Fær. 227, BS. i. 434. hálf-ljóst, n. adj.; pá er hálfljóst var, in twilight, Sturl. iii. 193. hálf-lokaðr, part. half locked. hálf-mætti, n. ‘half might,’ opp. to omnipotence, Skálda 161. hálf-mörk, f. half a mark, Vm. 80, 126. hálf-nauðigr, adj. half reluctant, FmS. xi. 392. hálf-neitt, n. adj. ‘half-naught,’ trifling, FaS. i. 60. hálf-níð, n. half a lampoon, FmS. iii. 21. hálf-níræðr, see above (II). hálf-nýtr, adj. of half use, Rb. 86. hálf-opinn, adj. half open. hálf-prestr, m. a ‘half-priest,’ a chaplain to a hálfkirkja, Sturl. ii. 178. hálf-pund, n. half a pound, Gþl. 343. hálf-raddarstafr, m. a semivowel, Skálda 176, 178. hálf-reingr, a, m. a half scamp, BS. i. 517. hálf-rétti, n. a law term (cp. fullrétti, p. 177), a slight, a personal affront or injury of the second degree, liable only to a half fine; e. g. hálfréttis-orð is a calumny in words that may be taken in both senses, good and bad; whereas fullréttis-orð is downright, unmistakable abuse, Grág. ii. 144; hence the phrases, mæla, göra hálfrétti við e-n, i. 156, 157, ii. 153. hálfréttis-eiðr, m. an oath of compurgation to be taken in a case of h., n. G. l. i. 352. hálfréttis-maðr, m. a man that has suffered hálfrétti, Gþl. 105, 200. hálfréttis-mál, n. a suit of a case of h., n. G. l. i. 314. hálf-róinn, part. having rowed half the way, half-way, FmS. viii. 312. hálf-róteldi, n., prob. corrupt, FmS. xi. 129. hálf-rými, n. a naut. term, half a cabin, one side of a ship’s cabin, FmS. viii. 138, ix. 33, x. 157, Hkr. i. 302. hálfrýmis-félagar, m. pl. messmates in the same h., Edda 108. hálfrýmis-kista, u, f. a chest or bench belonging to a h., FmS. viii. 85. hálf-rökit (-rökvit, -rökvat), n. adj. half twilight, in the evening, Grett. 137, 140 A; hálf-rökvat is the mod. form, which occurs in Grett. 79 new Ed., Jb. 176, Al. 54; vide rökvit. hálf-sagðr, part. half told; in the saying, jafnan er hálfsögð saga ef einn segir = audiatur et altera pars, Grett. 121. hálf-sextugr, see hálfr II. hálf-sjauræðr, adj. = hálfsjötugr, Stj. 48. hálf-sjötugr, see hálfr II. hálf-skiptr, part. = hálflitr, FmS. ii. 170, Sturl. iii. 112. hálf-sleginn, part. half mown, of a field. hálf-slitinn, part. half worn. hálf-sofandi, part. half asleep. hálf-sótt, n. part. half passed; hálfsótt haf, a half-crossed sea. hálf-systkin, n. pl. half brother and sister, cp. hálfbróðir. hálf-systur, f. pl. half sisters. hálf-tíræðr, see hálfr II. hálf-troll, n. half a giant, Eg. 1, Nj. 164 (a nickname). hálf-tunna, u, f. half a tun, Vm. 44. hálf-unninn, part. half done, FaS. ii. 339. hálf-vaxinn, part. half grown. hálf-vegis, adv. by halves. hálf-virði, n. half worth, Jb. 403, Glúm. 347, Sturl. ii. 132. hálf-visinn, part. and hálf-vista, adj. half withered, and medic. palsied on one side. hálf-viti, a, m. a half-witted man. hálf-votr, adj. half wet. hálf-vætt, f. half weight (a measure), Dipl. iv. 8, FaS. iii. 383. hálf-þrítugr, see hálfr II; spelt half-ðritogr, JS. 79. hálf-þurr, adj. half dry. hálf-þverrandi, part. half waning, JS. 732 (of the moon). hálf-þynna, u, f. a kind of small axe, Gþl. 103, 104, Lv. 35. hálf-ærinn, part. half sufficient, FmS. viii. 440. hálf-ærr, adj. half mad, SkS. 778.

hálfr: II. in mod. usage hálf is freq. used = rather, e. g. hálf-kalt, adj. rather cold: hálf-feginn, adj., eg er hálffeginn, I am rather glad: e-m er hálf-íllt, hálf-bumult, hálf-óglatt, n. adj. one feels rather ill: hálf-hungraðr, hálf-svangr, hálf-soltinn, hálf-þyrstr, adj. rather hungry, rather thirsty, etc., and in endless compdS.

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

Abbreviations used:

adj.: adjective.

adverb.: adverbially.

A. S.: Anglo-Saxon.

Dan.: Danish.

Engl.: English.

freq.: frequent, frequently.

Germ.: German.

gl.: glossary.

Goth.: Gothic.

Hel.: Heliand.

l.: line.

m.: masculine.

n.: neuter.

S.: Saga.

Swed.: Swedish.

cp.: compare.

Icel.: Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.

i. e.: id est.

etc.: et cetera.

f.: feminine.

Gr.: Greek.

Lat.: Latin.

pref.: preface.

neut.: neuter.

neg.: negative.

uff.: suffix.

pl.: plural.

pr.: proper, properly.

adv.: adverb.

e. g.: exempli gratia.

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

L.: Linnæus.

medic.: medicine, medically.

mod.: modern.

naut.: nautical.

opp.: opposed.

part.: participle.

prob.: probably.

v.: vide.

compds.: compounds.

Works & Authors cited:

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

Fs.: Forn-sögur. (D. II.)

Grág.: Grágás. (B. I.)

Gþl.: Gulaþings-lög. (B. II.)

Hm.: Hává-mál. (A. I.)

Nj.: Njála. (D. II.)

Skm.: Skírnis-mál. (A. I.)

Am.: Atla-mál. (A. II.)

Bs.: Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)

Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)

Greg.: Gregory. (F. II.)

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

Hkr.: Heimskringla. (E. I.)

Íb.: Íslendinga-bók. (D. I.)

Jm.: Jóns-máldagi. (J. I.)

Landn.: Landnáma. (D. I.)

Mar.: Maríu Saga. (F. III.)

Rb.: Rímbegla. (H. III.)

Stj.: Stjórn. (F. I.)

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

Fb.: Flateyjar-bók (E. I.)

Hðm.: Hamðis-mál. (A. II.)

Þórð.: Þórðar Saga hreðu. (D. V.)

Fas.: Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)

Al.: Alexanders Saga. (G. I.)

Band.: Banda-manna Saga. (D. II.)

B. K.: Björgynjar Kálfskinn. (J. II.)

Dipl.: Diplomatarium. (J. I.)

D. N.: Diplomatarium Norvagicum. (J. II.)

Edda: Edda. (C. I.)

Fær.: Færeyinga Saga. (E. II.)

Gísl.: Gísla Saga. (D. II.)

Glúm.: Víga-Glúms Saga. (D. II.)

H. E.: Historia Ecclesiastica Islandiae. (J. I.)

Jb.: Jóns-bók. (B. III.)

Js.: Járnsíða. (B. III.)

K. Á.: Kristinn-réttr Árna biskups. (B. III.)

Lv.: Ljósvetninga Saga. (D. II.)

Magn.: Magnús Saga jarls. (E. II.)

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

Pm.: Pétrs-máldagi. (J. I.)

Sd.: Svarfdæla Saga. (D. II.)

Skálda: Skálda. (H. I.)

Sks.: Konungs Skugg-sjá. (H. II.)

Vm.: Vilkins-máldagi. (J. I.)

➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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