Þjófr

Old Norse Dictionary - þjófr

Meaning of Old Norse word "þjófr" in English.

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

þjófr Old Norse word can mean:

þjófr: m. [Goth. þjubs; A. S. þeóf; Engl. theif; O. H. G. diup; Germ. dieb; Dan. tyv; Swed. tjuf: cp. Goth. þjubjó = λάθρα; þauf and þóf (qq. v.) seem to be kindred words]:—a thief; þjófar ok íllmenni, Nj. 32; vándr hefi ek verit, en aldri hefi ek þjófr verit, 74; mætti honum sök á gefa, ef hann léti fara sann-reyndan þjóf, FmS. vii. 115; rangt sýnisk mér at svá mikill þjófr gangi undan, … mikit kapp leggr þú á með þjófnum, ok muntú íllt at sök hafa, Fbr. 86, 87; þú hefir verit þjóír ok morðingi, Nj. 74; þat er víkinga háttr at afla fjár með ránum eðr svörfum, en þat er þjófa háttr at leyna eptir, Fb. i. 412; þjófa færsla, Gþl. 533; þjófa-gröf, fylgsni, a den of thieves, Greg. 39, Hom. 154, cp. Glúm. ch. 17, 18, Eb. 18; sauða-þjófr, a sheep-stealer; rummungs-þjófr, an inveterate thief (cp. hann stelr öllu sem steini er léttara). In ancient times thieves were particularly detested, and no mercy was shewn to them, theft being punished by hanging, see Fbr. l. c. (cp. the late Engl. penalty of death for sheep-stealing); and minor theft by branding with hot iron on the cheek, n. G. l. ii. 168; or by chopping off feet and hands, cp. Sighvat’s verse on St. Olave; cp. the saying, þjófa skal hátt upp hengja, Hallgr.: ‘thievish’ and ‘wicked’ are synonymous, þjófs augu, a thief’s eyes, an evil look, Nj. 2, FmS. iii. 195; þjófs hakan, a thief’s chin, 192; þjófs-nefit brotnaði, the thief’s nose broke, 189; þjófs tennr, Blómstrv. S. 27.

þjófr: COMPDS: þjófabálkr, þjóffólginn, þjófgefinn, þjóflaun, þjófsligr, þjófsnafn, þjófsnautr, þjófráð, þjófsnara, þjófstolinn, þjófsök.

þjófr: B. Altogether different is ‘þjófr’ in pr. names, Frið-þjófr, Her-þ., Ey-þ., Gunn-þ., which answers to A. S. þeow, i. e. a servant, = Icel. þý.

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.: Anglo-Saxon.

ch.: chapter.

cp.: compare.

Dan.: Danish.

Engl.: English.

Germ.: German.

gl.: glossary.

Goth.: Gothic.

l.: line.

L.: Linnæus.

l. c.: loco citato.

m.: masculine.

n.: neuter.

O. H. G.: Old High German.

q. v.: quod vide.

S.: Saga.

Swed.: Swedish.

v.: vide.

Icel.: Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.

i. e.: id est.

pr.: proper, properly.

þ.: þáttr.

Works & Authors cited:

Eb.: Eyrbyggja Saga. (D. II.)

Fb.: Flateyjar-bók (E. I.)

Fbr.: Fóstbræðra Saga. (D. II.)

Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)

Glúm.: Víga-Glúms Saga. (D. II.)

Greg.: Gregory. (F. II.)

Gþl.: Gulaþings-lög. (B. II.)

Hallgr.: Hallgrímr Pétrsson.

Hom.: Homiliu-bók. (F. II.)

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

Nj.: Njála. (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.