Old Norse Dictionary Entry

BEN

Old Norse Dictionary Entry

Definitions

3 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.

Similar Words

Runic Inscription

BEN

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark

The runic text above represents the Old Norse word "BEN" as it might appear in runic inscriptions from the Viking Age (c. 800-1100 CE).

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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