Hvass

Old Norse Dictionary - hvass

Meaning of Old Norse word "hvass" in English.

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

hvass Old Norse word can mean:

hvass: adj., hvöss, hvasst, gen. pl. hvassa, Sdm. 20; [the Goth. form is supposed to be hwass, cp. hivassaba, Tit. i. 13, and hwassei = ἀποτομία, Rom. xi. 22; cp. hvessa, hvetja, hvatr, as well as O. H. G. hwassi, which seem to be kindred words]:—pointed, tapering; hvass hjálmr eða kuml, SkS. 167; hvasst niðr sem hæll, id.; með hvössu enni, 170; hvöss vörr, Sturl. ii. (in a verse); hvass hringr, Fms. v. 343; hvass þyrnir, sharp thorns.

hvass: 2. sharp, keen, whetted, of edged tools; öngull sá enn hvassi, Niðrst. 3; hvasst vápn, Grett. 137; hvassan kníf, 91; hvasst sverð, Barl. 155; h. hjörr, Fm. 6; odd-hvass, pointed; egg-hvass, q. v.

hvass: II. metaph. of intellect, keen; hvasst næmi, BS. i. 235; hvass í skilningi, 681; hvass í hugskoti. Hom.; hygginn ok hvass, id.

hvass: 2. of the eyes or sight; hvöss augu, SkS. 170, Skáld 160, Ó. H. 109, Hkv. 2. 2; hvöss sjón, a keen sight; hvassar sjónir, piercing eyes, Sighvat; hvassir geislar, sharp beams of light, MS. 732. 17.

hvass: 3. sharp, acute; hvöss hljóðs grein, a sharp sound, Skálda 175, 179; hvasst hljóð, 160, 169; hvöss samstafa, 175.

hvass: 4. of wind, sharp, fresh; hvasst veðr, Eg. 99; veðr var miklu hvassara, 196; hvöss sunnan veðr, Fms. v.i. 310; hvasst andviðri, Eg. 87; hvass byrr, FmS. i. 165; h. útnyrðingr, hann er hvass á sunnan, það er hvasst, hann (the wind) er hvass, etc., passim; hvassir straumar, SkS. 14 new Ed.: neut. hvasst, blowing hard; þeir höfðu hvasst mjök á firðinum, Háv. 26, 42 new Ed.: freq. in mod. usage, æði-hvass, blowing very hard; bál-hvass, blowing a gale (so as to lash the sea into tongues like flame).

hvass: 5. sharp fighting, Korm., Hkv. 2. 10, Lex. Poët.; hvassir menn, Fms. v. 137; kveðsk mundu fá honum annan hest, ef nokkurir væri hvassari en sjá, Rd. 298, of a horse.

hvass: 6. neut. precisely; ekki hvasst umhyggju-laust, Fms. v.. 204; þat verðr hvasst (precisely) tveir hlutir átjándu álnar, n. G. l. i. 78; þá taka hvárir eigi hvasst (not quite) sjau penninga, 107: in poets, ríða, ganga, sigla, líða, skjóta hvasst, to ride, walk, sail, shoot fast, Lex. Poët.; bita hvassara, to eat heartily, Þkv. 25.

hvass: 7. coarse; hvassar hosur, Karl. 363, (rare.)

hvass: COMPDS: hvasseygr, hvassfleygr, hvasskömbóttr, hvassleikr, hvassleitr, hvassliga, hvassligr, hvassnefjaðr, hvassoddaðr, hvassorðr, hvasstenntr, hvassviðri, hvassögnóttr.

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

Abbreviations used:

adj.: adjective.

cp.: compare.

gen.: genitive.

Goth.: Gothic.

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

l.: line.

m.: masculine.

n.: neuter.

O. H. G.: Old High German.

pl.: plural.

s. v.: sub voce.

v.: vide.

q. v.: quod vide.

metaph.: metaphorical, metaphorically.

S.: Saga.

etc.: et cetera.

freq.: frequent, frequently.

mod.: modern.

neut.: neuter.

L.: Linnæus.

Works & Authors cited:

Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)

Sdm.: Sigrdrífu-mál. (A. II.)

Sks.: Konungs Skugg-sjá. (H. II.)

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

Barl.: Barlaams Saga. (F. III.)

Fm.: Fafnis-mál. (A. II.)

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

Niðrst.: Niðrstigningar Saga. (F. III.)

Bs.: Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)

Hom.: Homiliu-bók. (F. II.)

Hkv.: Helga-kviða Hundingsbana. (A. II.)

Ó. H.: Ólafs Saga Helga. (E. I.)

Skálda: Skálda. (H. I.)

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

Háv.: Hávarðar Saga. (D. II.)

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

Lex. Poët.: Lexicon Poëticum by Sveinbjörn Egilsson, 1860.

Rd.: Reykdæla Saga. (D. II.)

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

Þkv.: Þryms-kviða. (A. I.)

Karl.: Karla-magnús Saga. (G. 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.