Hvaðan

Old Norse Dictionary - hvaðan

Meaning of Old Norse word "hvaðan" in English.

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

hvaðan: adv. interrog. [Ulf. waþro = πόθεν; A. S. hwanon; Engl. whence; Germ. woher]:—whence, Nj. 2, 125, FmS. ix. 55: absol. of the wind, hvaðan er hann? whence (from what quarter) is the wind? the answer, sunnan, norðan; þóttisk engi vita, hvaðan veðr var á, whence the wind blew, FmS. viii. 55; h. af löndum? Ísl. ii. 222, Vþm. 22, 24, 26, Pr. 416, passim. β. spec. usage; meðan ek veit eigi víst hvaðan Guðmundr hinn ríki stendr at, mágr minn (as long as I know not what side G. takes’), því at ek aetla honum at veita, hvaðan sem hann stendr at, Nj. 214. II. indef. = undecunque, koma þeir heilir hvaðan, Hm. 157; hvaðan sem, whencesoever; hann siglir hvaðan sem á er, he sails whencesoever the wind may blow, whatever wind may blow, FmS. x. 204; blóðrás hvaðan sem renn, Pr. 473; hvaðan af sem hann hafði þann spádóm, Hkr. i. 224. III. as relative, Stj. i.

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

Abbreviations used:

absol.: absolute, absolutely.

adv.: adverb.

A. S.: Anglo-Saxon.

def.: definite.

Engl.: English.

f.: feminine.

Germ.: German.

gl.: glossary.

indef.: indefinite.

l.: line.

m.: masculine.

S.: Saga.

spec.: specially.

Ulf.: Ulfilas.

v.: vide.

Works & Authors cited:

Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)

Hkr.: Heimskringla. (E. I.)

Hm.: Hává-mál. (A. I.)

Nj.: Njála. (D. II.)

Stj.: Stjórn. (F. I.)

Vþm.: Vafþrúðnis-mál. (A. 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.