BEN

Old Norse Dictionary Entry

Definitions

1 BEN

jar, f. pl. jar (neut., N. G. L. i. 387; stór ben, acc. pl. n., Gísl. (in a verse), v. bani above.

2 BEN

I. a wound; as a law term, esp. a mortal wound (cp. bani); thus defined, skal ILLEGIBLE lýsa, en ben ef at bana verðr, Grág. ii. 18, 29, 70; benjar á hinum dauða manni, 28; svá skal nefna vátta at sárum sem at benjum, 30; and in the compds, benja-lýsing, f. a sort of coroner’s inquest upon a slain man, Grág. ii. 29; benja-váttr, m. a sort of coroner’s jury, defined in Grág. ii. 28—þeir eigu at bera, hve margar benjar eru, they have to give a verdict how many mortal wounds there are; en búakviðr (the jury) hverir sannir eru at; benja-vætti, n. the verdict of a benjaváttr, Grág. id.

3 BEN

II. yet commonly ‘ben’ means a small bleeding wound; þeirri blóðgri ben, er Otkell veitti mér áverka, Nj. 87, Sd. 139, Fs. 144, in the last passage, however, of a mortal wound. It is now medic. the wound produced by letting blood. In old poetry it is used in a great many compds.

Runic Inscription

ᛒᛁᚾ

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark

Abbreviations Used

Common Abbreviations

acc.: accusative.
compds.: compounds.
cp: compare.
cp.: compare.
esp: especially.
esp.: especially.
f.: feminine.
id: idem, referring to the passage quoted or to the translation
id.: idem, referring to the passage quoted or to the translation
l.: Linnæus.
m.: masculine.
medic.: medicinally.
n.: neuter.
neut.: neuter.
p.: page.
pl.: plural.
sing: singular.
v.: vide, verb.

Works & Authors

Fs.: Forn-sögur. (D. II.)
Gísl.: Gísla Saga. (D. II.)
Grág.: Grágás. (B. I.)
N. G. L.: Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)
Nj.: Njála. (D. II.)
Sd.: Svarfdæla Saga. (D. II.)

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BEN

BEN