Ör

Old Norse Dictionary - ör

Meaning of Old Norse word "ör" (or ǫr) in English.

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

ör Old Norse word can mean:

ör (ǫr)
f., gen. örvar; dat. öru, Grág. ii. 19, and later ör; pl. örvar, örva, örum; also spelt with f, örfar, etc.: [A. S. aruwe; Engl. arrow; the word may be akin to örr, adj. = the swift]:—an arrow; örina, annarri ör, … ör liggr þar úti, ok er sú af þeirra örum, … örunum, … ör (acc.), Nj. 96, 115, Hkr. i. 241; örvar þrjár, … örvunum (sic), FaS. i. 511, 541, and passim.
ör (ǫr)
2. metaph. a summons to a meeting, by the sending out an arrow (like the Gaelic ‘fiery cross’), both in war and peace, but originally as a war-token (her-ör); skera örvar upp, JS. 37; skera ör, 41; nema ör eða maðr stefni honum þing, 42: also of a warrant (cp. Germ. steck-brief), summoning a person to appear; the law phrases are, leggja örvar á e-n, to lay an arrow upon, i. e. to summon by a warrant; fylgja örum, to follow the arrow, i. e. to answer a summons; sá skal örum fylgja er fyrstr var á lagðr, n. G. l. i. 60; örvar þrjár … ein ör at dauðum manni, önnur at sárum …, allir skulu þeir örvar bera en engi fella, … sá skal örum fylgja er á eru lagðar … nú ef örvar taka hann ok sækir eigi þing, þá berr hann á baki sök, 270.
ör (ǫr)
II. in poët. compds, ör-bragð, ör-drif, ör-veðr, = a shower of shafts; ör-sæti = a shield; ör-rjóðr, ör-slöngvir, = a warrior.
ör (ǫr)
B. COMPDS: örvarboð, örvadrífa, örvaflug, örvarhúnn, örvamalr, örvamælir, örvaroddr, örvarskapt, örvarskot, örvarskurðr, örvarþing.

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

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

Abbreviations used:

acc.
accusative.
adj.
adjective.
A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
dat.
dative.
Engl.
English.
etc.
et cetera.
f.
feminine.
gen.
genitive.
gl.
glossary.
l.
line.
m.
masculine.
n.
neuter.
pl.
plural.
S.
Saga.
cp.
compare.
Germ.
German.
i. e.
id est.
L.
Linnæus.
metaph.
metaphorical, metaphorically.
poët.
poetically.

Works & Authors cited:

Fas.
Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)
Grág.
Grágás. (B. I.)
Hkr.
Heimskringla. (E. I.)
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
Js.
Járnsíða. (B. III.)
N. G. L.
Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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