Spyrja

Old Norse Dictionary - spyrja

Meaning of Old Norse word "spyrja" in English.

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

spyrja Old Norse word can mean:

spyrja: pres. spyr, spyrjum, pl. spurði; subj. spyrði; imperat. spyr, spyrðú part. spurðr, spurt: a part. spurnum, as from a strong verb spurinn, SkS. 12 B. In mod. usage sounded as with u throughout, thus, infin. spurja; pres. spur; imperat. spurðu: with neg. suff. spyrjattu (speer thou not), FaS. i. (in a verse): [spor; A. S. spurian; Scot. and North. E. speer; Germ. spüren; Swed. spörja, spörge.]

spyrja: B. To track, trace steps or footprints; nú er maðr stolinn fé sínu, ok sér hann manna-farveg liggja frá garði, þá skal hann … spyrja til garðs manns, Gþl. 539; með hundum, er því vóru vanir at S. þá upp er undan hljópusk, Ó. H. 247, Hom. 159.

spyrja: 2. metaph. to track, investigate, find out (Germ. aufspüren): ok er engi likari til enn annarr, þá skolu ölhús-menn morð spyrja, n. G. l. i. 62; en erfingi spyri morð ef hann kann eptir koma, ii. 215; þá spyri erfingi morðs (morð), i. 309, but this sense is old and obsolete: S. upp, to find out; þeir fengu hann eigi upp spurðan, Sturl. ii. 125.

spyrja: II. to speer, ask, absol. or with gen.: spyrja lögspurning, Grág. i. 21; Gunnarr spurði, hvat hann vildi þá láta at gera, Nj. 100: þeir spurdu hvat þar væri komit. FmS. i. 9:—with gen., S. e-s, to enquire after; spyrr konungr margra tiðinda, iv. 192: hann spurði margs ór brennunni, Nj. 213, passim: to request, spyrja síðan alla lögréttu menn, Grág. i. 8.

spyrja: 2. with prepp.; spyrja at e-u or spyrja e-n at e-u, to speer or ask after; spurði hann at Ástriði ok syni hennar, FmS. i. 70; S. at þingfesti manna, Grág. i. 19: spyrr Sigvaldi at ferðum Ólafs, FmS. x. 226, Gþl. 221; konungr spurði hann at nafni, speered at him for his name, Nj. 6:—S. eptir, spurði Höskuldr dóttur sína ekki eptir, did not ask her, ask her consent, Ni. 17; spurði Fjönir eptir bræðr sína, F. asked after his brothers. FmS. xi. 44; S. eptir e-n, to enquire after, i. 263, iv. 32, Eg. 89:—S. e-n um e-t (= eptir e-u), þeir spurðu Gunnar um fundinn, Nj. 100.

spyrja: 3. to hear, be informed of (Germ. erfahren): þat spyrja synir Haralds, FmS. i. 18; þat spyrr Bárðr at …, Eg. 31; Snorri spyrr nú hvar komit er málunum, Nj. 244, passim: S. til e-s, to get intelligence as to; þeir spurðu til Birkibeina, FmS. ix. 224; Gregorius spurði til þeirra þar sem hrita Saurbæir, vii. 270; spurði hann til Sóta, at hann var farinn suðr, Nj. 7.

spyrja: III. reflex. to be reported, get abroad; skipkváman spyrsk, Nj. 5; tíðendi spyrjask, 25, 85; til Þorveigar spurðisk þat, at hón lá hætt, it was told of Th. that she was very ill, Korm. 164; hefir til þess skips aldregi spurzk, nothing has since been heard of this ship. Nj. 282: imperS., mér spyrsk á þann veg, I am told, Eg. 20: spyrjask fyrir um e-t, to enquire, Ld. 226, Hkr. ii. 333: spyrjask um vandliga, id., SkS. 284.

spyrja: 2. recipr. to ask one another; spyrjask tíðenda, Nj. 227, 228, Eg. 547.

spyrja: 3. part., svara spurnum hlut, SkS. 12 B.

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.: Anglo-Saxon.

f.: feminine.

Germ.: German.

imperat.: imperative.

infin.: infinitive.

l.: line.

m.: masculine.

mod.: modern.

n.: neuter.

neg.: negative.

North. E.: Northern English.

part.: participle.

pl.: plural.

pres.: present.

S.: Saga.

Scot.: Scottish.

subj.: subjunctive.

uff.: suffix.

Swed.: Swedish.

L.: Linnæus.

metaph.: metaphorical, metaphorically.

absol.: absolute, absolutely.

gen.: genitive.

v.: vide.

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

impers.: impersonal.

pers.: person.

reflex.: retlexive.

pr.: proper, properly.

recipr.: reciprocally.

Works & Authors cited:

Fas.: Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)

Sks.: Konungs Skugg-sjá. (H. II.)

Gþl.: Gulaþings-lög. (B. II.)

Hom.: Homiliu-bók. (F. II.)

Ó. H.: Ólafs Saga Helga. (E. I.)

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

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

Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)

Grág.: Grágás. (B. I.)

Nj.: Njála. (D. II.)

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

Hkr.: Heimskringla. (E. I.)

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

Ld.: Laxdæla Saga. (D. II.)

Th.: Theophilus. (F. III.)

➞ 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.