Vatn

Old Norse Dictionary - vatn

Meaning of Old Norse word "vatn" in English.

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

vatn Old Norse word can mean:

vatn
n., pl. vötn; vant occurs in n. G. l. i. 363: the gen. sing. is, agreeably with the pronunciation, in old vellums invariably spelt vatz or vaz, vazt, Clem. 148, l. 32; the mod. sound is vass; in the Editions, however, the etymological form vatns has mostly been restored; all the South Teut. languages use a form with an r. The form vatr only occurs in two instances, perhaps used only for the rhyme’s sake, in hvatrtri, a poem of the beginning of the 12th century; and hélt und vatr enn vitri, Sighvat; but vatn vitni in another verse cf the same poet: [A. S. wæter; Engl. and Dutch water; Hel. watar; O. H. G. wazar; Germ. wasser; cp. Gr. υδατ-ος; Lat. udus: on the other hand, Icel. vatn; Swed. vatten; Dan. vand, qs. vadn.]
vatn
A. Water, fresh water; jörð, vatn, lopt, eldr, Eluc. 19; spratt þar vatn upp, Edda (pref.); blóð ok vatn, Rb. 334; grafa til vatz, Edda (pref.); taka vatn upp at sínum hluta, Vm. 168; þá er vötnin vóru sköpuð, 655. 1; drepa í vatn eða hella á vatni, K. þ. K.; ef vatn er svá mikit at þar má barn í hylja, n. G. l. i. 363.
vatn
2. phrases; ausa vatni, to besprinkle infants with water, see ausa I. 2. β; to which add, þar stendr þú, Özorr, kvað Helgi, ok mun ek ekki við þér sjá, þvíat þú jóst mik vatni, Dropl. 25; mærin var vatni ausin ok þetta nafn gefit, D. I..)">Nj. 25: ganga til vatns, to go to the water, to go to the ‘trapiza,’ q. v., of washing before meals, D. I..)">Ld. 296: þá er sól gengr at vatni. when the sun goes into the water, sets in the sea, K. þ. K. 96; sér ekki högg á vatni, a blow in the water is not seen, of a useless effort: á vatni, afloat, FaS. ii. 532; svá skjótt, at ekki tók á vatni, FmS. vii. 344.
vatn
3. of tears; halda ekki vatni, could not forbear weeping, FmS. vi. 236 (in a verse), viii. 232.
vatn
II. a lake; [cp. North. E. Derwent-water, etc.]; uppí vatnið Væni, FmS. vi. 333; lét flytja sik út í vatn eitt, ok leyndisk þar í hólma nökkurum, i. 66; er í norðanverðum flóanum vatn þat er nes liggr í, Ísl. ii. 345; til vatz þess er Á en Helga fellr ór, Ó. H. 163; sjór eða vatn, a sea or lake, Edda.
vatn
III. streams, waters, esp. in plur. of large streams; hnigu heilög vötn af Himin-fjöllum, Hkv. 1. 1; þaðan eigu vötn öll vega, Gm.; þar er djúpt vatn (deep water) er umhverfis, Grág. ii. 131; geysask vötn at þeim með forsfalli … vötnin flutu um völluna alla, Ó. H. 164; brúar um ár eða vötn, Grág. i. 149; vötn þau er ór jöklum höfðu fallit, D. I..)">Eg. 133; fjörðr sá er flóir allr af vötnum, FS. 26; en nú falla vötn öll til Dýrafjarðar, Gísl. 20; fóru þar til er vötn hnigu til vestr-ættar af fjöllum, Orkn. 4.
vatn
IV. in local names, Vatn, Vatna-hverfi, Vatns-lausa, Vatns-á, Vatns-dalr, Vatns-endi, Vatns-fell, Vatns-fjörðr, Vatns-nes, Vatns-horn, Vatns-skarð, etc., Landn.; Vatns-dælir, Vatns-firðingar, the men from Vatnsfjörðr, Vatnsdalr, id., Sturl.: of lakes, Gríms-vötn, Fiski-vötn, Elliða-vatn, Mý-vatn, Ólvus-vatn, Landn., map of Icel.; more seldom of rivers, as Héraðsvötn in north of Icel.: Vatns-dælskr, adj. from Vatnsdalr, Finnb. 334, Ísl. ii. 335; Vatnsfirðinga-kyn, -búð, D. I..)">Nj. 248, D. I..)">Ld. 120 (see búð).
vatn
B. COMPDS, with gen. vatna-, vatns-, in vellums vatz-, vaz-: vatns-agi, a, m. dampness. vatns-bakki, a, m. a bank, shore of a water or lake, Grág. ii. 355, Jb. 315, FmS. viii. 32, FaS. i. 360. vatns-beri, a, m. the water-bearer, Aquarius in the zodiac, Rb. vatns-blandaðr, part. mixed with water. vatns-bolli, a, m. a water-jug, Am. 35. vatns-borinn, part. mixed with water. vatns-botn, m. the foot of a lake, Hrafn, 11, FmS. ix. 367. vatns-ból, n. a watering-place, well, where drinking-water is drawn. vatns-bóla, u, f. a water-bubble, vatns-bragð, n. a taste of water. vatns-burðr, m. carrying water, BS. i. vatns-dauði, a, m. water-death, death by drowning in fresh water. vatna-djúp, n. a water-deep, abyss, Skálda 209. vatns-dropi, a, m. a drop of water, Stj. 154. vatns-drykkr, m. a drink of water, Stj. 150, 581, Edda 24. vatns-dæld, f. a watery hollow. vatns-endi, a, m. the end of a lake, FmS. ix. 406. vatns-fall, n. a stream, river; lítið vatnsfall, a small river, D. I..)">Eg. 134, v. l.: of rain, vindr ok vatnsfall, Art. 85. vatns-farvegr, m. a ‘water’s fairway,’ the bed of a river, Grág. ii. 291. vatns-fata, u, f. a water-pail, Fb. i. 258, O. H. l. ch. 96. vatna-flaumr, m. [Norse vand-flom], a water-flood, swell of water, D. n. vi. 148. vatns-flóð, n. water-flood. vatna-gangr, m. a flood, Stj. 59, Grág. i. 219, Landn. 251: a fall of rain, = vatnfall, veðrátta ok v., D. I..)">Grett. 24 new Ed. vatns-heldr, adj. water-tight. vatns-hestr, m. = nykr, q. v., Landn. 93, v. l.; but vatna-hestr, m. a good horse to cross rivers. vatna-hlaup, n. floods, a rushing forth of waters, Landn. 250. vatns-horn, n. a water-horn, a vessel for holy water in church, Pm. 6: the end or angle of a lake, and as a local name, D. I..)">Ld., Landn. vatns-hríð, f. a storm, Ann. 1336 C. vatns-íss, m. ice on a lake, Stj. 510, FmS. viii. 398, ix. 367. vatns-kanna, u, f. a water-can, Vm. 86. vatns-karl, m. a water-can shaped like a man; vatnskarl til vígðs vatns, Vm. 21; vatnskarl ok munnlaug, Fb. i. 359, D. n. iv. 457. vatns-ker, n. a water-jug, Stj. vatns-kerald, n. = vatnsker, FmS. i. 127, Vm. 21, Jb. 409, vatns-ketill, m. a water-kettle, Vm. 21, 114, B. K. 83. vatns-kottr, m. a water-insect, in foul poolS. vatns-lauss, adj. waterless, without water, Barl. 196. vatns-leysi, n. lack of water. vatns-litr, m. water-colour, Rb. 336. vatns-megin, n. fulness of water. vatns-mikill, adj. swelling with water, of a river. vatns-minni, n. the inlet of a lake, FmS. ix. 394. vatns-munnlaug, f. a water hand-basin, Pm. 60. vatns-ósa, adj. soaked with water. vatns-óss, m. the mouth of a lake connected with the sea, Landn. 207. vatns-rás, f. a trench, water-course, BS. i. 148, Stj. 593. vatns-sár, m. a font, Vm. 110, n. G. l. i. 327. vatns-skál, f. a water-jug, D. n. vatns-skírn, f. baptism in water, Barl. 116, 144 (vatnz-skírn). vatns-skortr, m. lack of water, Barl. 196. vatns-sótt, f water-sickness, dropsy, medic., Post. vatns-steinn, m. a font of stone, Vm. 110. vatns-strönd, f. the bank of a lake, FmS. viii. 32, MS. 623. 33, Vkv. (prose, vaz-strouds). vatns-stökkull, m. a watering-pot, a vessel or brush for sprinkling water, BS. i. 464. vatns-tjörn, f. a ‘water-tarn,’ pool, SkS. 682. vatna-tunna, u, f. a water-tub. vatns-uppspretta, u, f. a jet of water, Stj. 646. vatns-veita, u, f. a drain, trench, aqueduct, Grág. ii. 289. vatns-veiting, f. a draining. vatns-vetr, m. a winter of floods, Ann. 1191 C. vatns-vígsla, u, f. consecration of water, BS. i. 97. vatns-vík, f. a creek in a lake, FmS. viii. 67. vatna-vöxtr, m. ‘water-growth,’ a flood, BS. i. 138, D. I..)">Grett. 133 A, D. n. ii. 35, passim. vatna-þytr, m. the thud, sound of falling waters, Skálda. vatns-æðr, f. a vein of water, Stj. 29, 205.
vatn
C. REAL COMPDS, with the root word vatn- prefixed: vatn-bátr, m. a lake-boat, Jb. 410 B. vatn-beri, a, m. = vatnsberi, Rb. (1812) 65, 66. vatn-dauðr, adj. drowned in fresh water, Grág. i. 223. vatn-dragari, a, m. a drawer of water, Stj. 358. vatn-dragi, a, m. id., FaS. iii. 21 (in a verse). vatn-dýr, n. water-animals, Al. 167. vatn-fall, n. a waterfall, stream; vatnföll deilir: a torrent, stream, í bráða-þeyjum var þar vatnfall mikit, a great torrent, D. I..)">Eg. 766; lítið v., 134; var v. þat fullt af fiskum, FmS. i. 253; svá mikit v. sem áin Níð er, v. 182; deilir norðr vatnföllum til héraða, Ísl. ii. 345; er vatnföll deila til sjóvar, D. I..)">Eg. 131, Grág. i. 440; með öllum vatnföllum, D. I..)">Nj. 265: of rain, fyrir vatnfalli ok regni, Gullþ. 8; vatnfall fylgði hér svá mikit ór lopti, torrents of rain, Gísl. 105, FmS. x. 250. vatn-fátt, n. adj. short of water, Landn. 34, FmS. ix. 45. vatn-fiskr, m. a fresh-water fish, FS. 165. vatn-gangr, m. a swelling of water, Vápn. 24. vatn-horn, n. a water-horn, as church inventory, Vm. 110. vatn-kakki, a, m. = trapiza, q. v.; gékk hann til vatnkakka ok þó sér, Korm. 24. vatn-karl, m. a jug, Stj. 153, D. I. i. 597, Dipl. v. 18; vatnkarlar fjórir, könnur sextán, iii. 4, Rb. (of the zodiacal Aquarius). vatn-kálfr, m. dropsy; þá sótt er heitir idropicus, þat köllu vér vatnkálf, Hom. 25, 150; hann er góðr við vatnkálfi, Hb. 544. 39. vatn-ker, vatn-kerald, vatn-ketill, n. a water-jug …, Grág. ii. 397, Stj. 311, D. I..)">Nj. 134, Ísl. ii. 410, FmS. xi. 34, Ám. 29, Vm. 35. vatn-lauss, adj. = vatnslauss, Al. 172, Stj. 194. vatn-legill, m. a water-jug, Stj. 128. vatn-leysi, n. lack of water, Al. 173. vatn-ormr, m. a water-serpent, Al. 168; Hercules sigraði v. (the Hydra), MS. 732. 17: a pr. name, Mork. vatn-rás, f. = vatnsrás, Stj. 58, 642. Ísl. ii. 92. vatn-skjóla, u, f. a water-skeel, pail, D. I. i. 225. vatn-staðr, m. a water-place, 655 xxviii. 2. vatn-torf, n. soaked turf, Ísl. ii. 412. vatn-trumba, u, f. a water-pipe, Hom. 131. vatn-veita, u, f. = vatnsveita, a drain, water-trench, Grág. ii. 289, Stj. 498. vatn-viðri, n. = vátviðri, BS. i. 245. vatn-vígsla, u, f. the consecrating streams and wells, of bishop Gudmund, BS. i. vatn-ærinn, adj. plentiful as water, abundant; vatnærin hef ek vitni, Sighvat.

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
cp.
compare.
Dan.
Danish.
Engl.
English.
gen.
genitive.
Germ.
German.
gl.
glossary.
Gr.
Greek.
Hel.
Heliand.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
l.
line.
L.
Linnæus.
Lat.
Latin.
m.
masculine.
mod.
modern.
n.
neuter.
O. H. G.
Old High German.
pl.
plural.
qs.
quasi.
S.
Saga.
sing.
singular.
Swed.
Swedish.
Teut.
Teutonic.
f.
feminine.
pref.
preface.
q. v.
quod vide.
v.
vide.
etc.
et cetera.
North. E.
Northern English.
esp.
especially.
plur.
plural.
adj.
adjective.
id.
idem, referring to the passage quoted or to the translation
ch.
chapter.
medic.
medicine, medically.
part.
participle.
v. l.
varia lectio.
pr.
proper, properly.
þ.
þáttr.

Works & Authors cited:

Clem.
Clements Saga. (F. III.)
N. G. L.
Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)
Edda
Edda. (C. I.)
Eluc.
Elucidarium. (F. II.)
K. Þ. K.
Kristinn-réttr Þorláks ok Ketils = Kristinna-laga-þáttr. (B. I.)
Rb.
Rímbegla. (H. III.)
Vm.
Vilkins-máldagi. (J. I.)
Dropl.
Droplaugar-sona Saga. (D. II.)
Fas.
Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Ld.
Laxdæla Saga. (D. II.)
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
Ó. H.
Ólafs Saga Helga. (E. I.)
Eg.
Egils Saga. (D. II.)
Fs.
Forn-sögur. (D. II.)
Gísl.
Gísla Saga. (D. II.)
Gm.
Grímnis-mál. (A. I.)
Grág.
Grágás. (B. I.)
Hkv.
Helga-kviða Hundingsbana. (A. II.)
Orkn.
Orkneyinga Saga. (E. II.)
Finnb.
Finnboga Saga. (D. V.)
Landn.
Landnáma. (D. I.)
Sturl.
Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)
Am.
Atla-mál. (A. II.)
Ann.
Íslenzkir Annálar. (D. IV.)
Art.
Artus-kappa Sögur. (G. II.)
Barl.
Barlaams Saga. (F. III.)
B. K.
Björgynjar Kálfskinn. (J. II.)
Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
D. N.
Diplomatarium Norvagicum. (J. II.)
Fb.
Flateyjar-bók (E. I.)
Grett.
Grettis Saga. (D. II.)
Jb.
Jóns-bók. (B. III.)
O. H. L.
Ólafs Saga Helga Legendaria. (E. I.)
Pm.
Pétrs-máldagi. (J. I.)
Post.
Postula Sögur. (F. III.)
Skálda
Skálda. (H. I.)
Sks.
Konungs Skugg-sjá. (H. II.)
Stj.
Stjórn. (F. I.)
Vkv.
Völundar-kviða. (A. II.)
Al.
Alexanders Saga. (G. I.)
Ám.
Auðunnar-máldagi. (J. I.)
D. I.
Diplomatarium Islandicum. (J. I.)
Dipl.
Diplomatarium. (J. I.)
Gullþ.
Gull-Þóris Saga. (D. II.)
Hb.
Hauks-bók. (H. IV.)
Hom.
Homiliu-bók. (F. II.)
Korm.
Kormaks Saga. (D. II.)
Mork.
Morkinskinna. (E. I.)
Vápn.
Vápnfirðinga Saga. (D. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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This headword also appears in dictionaries of other languages descending from Old Norse.

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