Klofi

Old Norse Dictionary - klofi

Meaning of Old Norse word "klofi" in English.

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

klofi Old Norse word can mean:

klofi
a, m. a cleft or rift in a hill closed at the upper end; metaph., þeir vóru komnir í svá mikinn klofa, at Ingjaldr var á aðra hönd, en Laxá á aðra hönd, i. e. they were ‘in a cleft stick,’—the enemy on one hand, the river on the other, Ld. 46; so also as a military term; at samnaðr væri á Rangár-völlum ok væri sú ráðagörð, at þeim sé ætlað at verða í klofanum, ‘were in a cleft stick,’ ‘caught in a trap,’ Sturl. i. 201; mun ek ok senda lið til fulltings við yðr, ok skal þat koma á bak þeim, svá at þeir verði í klofanum, Fas. i. 33; ok var svá stefnt at hann skyldi þaðan at koma, ok skyldi Þorfinnr verða í klofanum, Orkn. 68: fjalla-klofi, a ravine with a bottom, Stj. 87, Al. 26: landa-klofi, a delta at the fork of a river, Sks. 194, 199; lausa-klofi, gramm. a diphthong (au, ei, ey), Skálda 170: medic., gin-klofi, q. v.
klofi
2. the groove (hurðar-klofi) in which the door moves up and down instend of moving on hinges (see hníga III); hence the phrases, lúka upp hurðu, or lúka aptr hurð á miðjan klofa, to open or shut the door to the middle of the groove, i. e. shut it half way, Bárð. 171, Fb. i. 547; hurð hnigin á miðjan klofa, half shut, Fms. iii. 74, Fas. iii. 546; hann gengr þar til er hann kemr at hurðu, hón var greypt í stokk ok hnigin eigi allt í klofa, Fb. i. 258; hann svarar ílla ok rak aptr hurðina í klofa, Gullþ. 15; eptir þat opar Þorbjörn inn undan, ok lauk hurðinni í klofa, 18.
klofi
3. the forks to support tents on board a ship, Edda (Gl.); þá bað hann með sína ganga ytra með borðum, ok höggva tjöldin ór klofum, Eg. 122: a place in a ship = klofa-rúm, því skal hlaða í klofa inn, n. G. l. ii. 276.
klofi
4. a forked mast, used in boats on the west coast of Icel.
klofi
5. snuffers; göra skaltú klofa af gulli ljós at slökkva, Stj. 306. Exod. xxv. 38, Vm 36; kerta-pípa í staf ok klofi, Pm. 103; kerta-klofi, q. v.; horn-klofi, q. v.
klofi
COMPDS: klofakerling, klofarúm, klofasigling, klofastef.

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

Abbreviations used:

gramm.
grammar.
i. e.
id est.
l.
line.
m.
masculine.
medic.
medicine, medically.
metaph.
metaphorical, metaphorically.
n.
neuter.
q. v.
quod vide.
v.
vide.
þ.
þáttr.
L.
Linnæus.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
f.
feminine.

Works & Authors cited:

Al.
Alexanders Saga. (G. I.)
Fas.
Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)
Ld.
Laxdæla Saga. (D. II.)
Orkn.
Orkneyinga Saga. (E. II.)
Skálda
Skálda. (H. I.)
Sks.
Konungs Skugg-sjá. (H. II.)
Stj.
Stjórn. (F. I.)
Sturl.
Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)
Bárð.
Bárðar Saga. (D. V.)
Fb.
Flateyjar-bók (E. I.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Gullþ.
Gull-Þóris Saga. (D. II.)
Edda
Edda. (C. I.)
Eg.
Egils Saga. (D. II.)
N. G. L.
Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)
Pm.
Pétrs-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.

Back