Nið-gjöld

Old Norse Dictionary - nið-gjöld

Meaning of Old Norse word "nið-gjöld" (or nið-gjǫld) in English.

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

nið-gjöld (nið-gjǫld): n. pl. weregild after the slaughter of a relative or the weregild payable to the more distant relatives of the slain, opp. to the höfuðbaugr; or even simply = weregild, gjalda hinn vegna niðgjöldum, Grág. ii. 63, 79; skal þessa menn alla gjalda niðgjöldum, 131; þá menn alla skal jamt aptr gjalda niðgjöldum, sem þeir sé vegnir, þótt þeir lifi, svá er mælt, at þat sumar skal niðgjalda heimting upp hetja, er …, Grág. ii. 185; gjaldi sendimenn konungs niðgjöldum, Eg. 575, v. l.

Orthography: The Cleasby & Vigfusson book used letter ö to represent the original Old Norse vowel ǫ. Therefore, nið-gjöld may be more accurately written as nið-gjǫld.

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

Abbreviations used:

l.: line.

n.: neuter.

opp.: opposed.

pl.: plural.

v.: vide.

v. l.: varia lectio.

Works & Authors cited:

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

Grág.: Grágás. (B. 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.