Nef

Old Norse Dictionary - nef

Meaning of Old Norse word "nef" in English.

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

nef Old Norse word can mean:

nef
n., gen. pl. nefja, dat. nefjum; [A. S. nebbe; Engl. neb]:—the nose, prop. the beak, bone of the nose, opp. to nasar (nös, q. v.), Grág. ii. 11; liðr á nefi, Ld. 272; þeir hafa hvárki nef né nasar, ‘neb nor nose,’ i. e. neither lower part nor cartilage, Stj. 79; hann rak hnefann á nasir mér ok braut í mér nefit, FaS. iii. 392; kom á nasir þeim ok brotnaði í honum nefit, FmS. iii. 186; gnúa nefit, Orkn. 394, passim: also in the phrases, stinga nefi í feld, to hide the nose (face) in one’s cloak, from dismay, FmS. x. 401; cp. stinga nösum í felda, Sighvat; stinga saman nefjum, to put noses together = lay heads together, i. e. discuss closely, ironic., Grett. (in a verse); kveða, tala í nef, to talk through the nose, Skálda 162; taka í nefið, to snuff up; sjúga upp í nefit, to suck up through the nose; of nær nefi kvað karl …, too near the nose, quoth the carle, when he was hit in the eye, FmS. vii. 288; náit er nef augum, the neb is near akin to the eye, Nj., cp. FmS. iii. 188; draga bust ór nefi einum, see burst.
nef
2. as a law term in regard to tax, dues, poll (cp. the English phrase ‘to count noses’); um alla Svíþjóð guldu menn Óðni skatt, penning fyrir nef hvert, Yngl. S. ch. 8; hefir þú nú gört fyrir þitt nef þangat út, i. e. thou hast done thy share, Fbr. 33; gjalda eyri fyrir net hvert, to pay a ‘nose-tax’ of an ounce, poll-tax, Lv. 89; penning fyrir nef hvert, Hkr. ii. 231; skal göra mann út at sjaunda nefi, n. G. l. i. 97; ertug fyrir sex tigu nefja innan laga várra, 7; skutilsveinar til þriggja nefja ok hverr húskarl til tveggja nefja, H. E. i. 420; yrkja níðvísu fyrir nef hvert er á var landinu, Hkr. i. 227; skal búandi hverr augljós nef hafa af bryggju-sporði á skoru-kefli fyrir ármann, i. e. every franklin has to shew up the poll on a score-roll before the king’s officer, n. G. l. i. 200.
nef
3. the neb, beak, bill, of birds, FmS. viii. 10; nefin ok klærnar, Nj. 272, Stj. 90; fugls-nef, uglu-nef, arnar-nef, hrafns-nef, Sdm. passim; also hrúts-nef, a ram’s nose, 1812. 66: the saying, lítið er nef várt en breiðar fjaðrir, BS. i. 676, of high aspirations and weak efforts, see fjöðr: of things, klappar-nef, a jutting rock; skogar-nef, q. v.; steðja nef, the nose (small end) of a stithy; keips-nef, a thole, a rowlock pin: cp. the riddle or pun, liggr á grúfu og horfir upp nef—á ausu ! of the hook on a ladle’s handle.
nef
II. as a nickname, Gísl.; = Nosey, cp. Lat. Naso.
nef
COMPDS: nefbjörg, nefdreyri, neffölr, nefgildi, nefglita, neflangr, neflauss, neflítill, nefljótr, nefmikill, nefmæltr.

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
cp.
compare.
dat.
dative.
Engl.
English.
gen.
genitive.
gl.
glossary.
i. e.
id est.
l.
line.
n.
neuter.
opp.
opposed.
pl.
plural.
prop.
proper, properly.
q. v.
quod vide.
S.
Saga.
v.
vide.
ch.
chapter.
L.
Linnæus.
m.
masculine.
Lat.
Latin.

Works & Authors cited:

Fas.
Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Grág.
Grágás. (B. I.)
Grett.
Grettis Saga. (D. II.)
Ld.
Laxdæla Saga. (D. II.)
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
Orkn.
Orkneyinga Saga. (E. II.)
Skálda
Skálda. (H. I.)
Stj.
Stjórn. (F. I.)
Fbr.
Fóstbræðra Saga. (D. II.)
H. E.
Historia Ecclesiastica Islandiae. (J. I.)
Hkr.
Heimskringla. (E. I.)
Lv.
Ljósvetninga Saga. (D. II.)
N. G. L.
Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)
Yngl. S.
Ynglinga Saga. (C. II.)
Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
Sdm.
Sigrdrífu-mál. (A. II.)
Gísl.
Gísla Saga. (D. II.)
➞ 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