Hand-festr

Old Norse Dictionary - hand-festr

Meaning of Old Norse word "hand-festr" in English.

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

hand-festr Old Norse word can mean:

hand-festr: f. striking a bargain, the joining hands; þá ferr handfestr um allt skipit þeirra í millum at þessu heiti, Bs. i. 421; áttu þeir at handfesti ok vápna-tak at þessu heiti, Fms. v.ii. 55; tóku þeir heit sitt með h., v. 138; sira Oddr tók þá ok þetta skilorð með h., Bs. i. 746; við vitni ok h., Fb. i. 366: it answers to the signing one’s name in mod. law. ☞ In the early Dan. and Swed. laws the stipulation to be given by the king at his coronation was called haand-fæstning. In Scotland marriage used often to be preceded by a preliminary union called hand-fasting, see Jamieson s. v.

hand-festr: II. a rope by which to haul oneself up, Jm. 1.

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

Abbreviations used:

Dan.: Danish.

f.: feminine.

mod.: modern.

n.: neuter.

s. v.: sub voce.

Swed.: Swedish.

v.: vide.

m.: masculine.

Works & Authors cited:

Bs.: Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)

Fb.: Flateyjar-bók (E. I.)

Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)

Jm.: Jóns-máldagi. (J. 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.