Old Norse Dictionary Entry

Rán

Old Norse Dictionary Entry

Definitions

2 definitions

1 Rán

f., dat. Rán, Hkv. i. 30, Hkv. Hjörv. 18; Ráni, Gg. 6, is a corrupt passage; [this word cannot be related to the preceding]:—the name of the giant-goddess the queen of the sea; she was wife of Egir, mother of the Nereids, called Ránar-dætr; all that perished in the sea came and abode with her; Rán átti net, þat er hón veiddi í menn alla þá er á sæ kómu, Edda 66, 69, Eb. 274, Fas. ii. 77, Eb. ch. 54, Friðþ. S. ch. 6; þat höfðu menn fyrir satt, at þá væri mönnum vel fagnat at Ránar, ef sjódauðir menn vitjaði erfis síns, Eb. l. c., Stor. 7; sitja at Ránar, Fms. vi. 376 (in a verse); ræsis rekka er þú mundir Rán gefa, Hkv. Hjörv. 18:—the allit. phrase, Rán ok Regin, was a form of oath, Ölk. 36: in poët. circumlocutions, dýnu Rán = a woman, Hallfred; ósk-rán.

2 Rán

COMPDS: Ránardætr, Ránar-land, -salr, -vegr, Rán-heimr, Lex. Poët. rán-boðr, m. the bed of Rán, the bottom of the sea, Fas. ii. 77 (in a verse).

Similar Words

Runic Inscription

Rán

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark

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

Abbreviations Used

Common Abbreviations

allit.: alliteration, alliterative.
ch: chapter.
ch.: chapter.
Dan: Danish.
Dan.: Danish.
dat.: dative.
f.: feminine.
Fr: French in etymologies.
gl: glossary.
id: idem, referring to the passage quoted or to the translation
l.: Linnæus.
l. c.: loco citato.
lit: literally.
lit.: literally.
loc: local, locally.
m.: masculine.
n.: neuter.
pl.: plural.
plur.: plural.
poët.: poetical, poetically.
prop: properly.
R.: Rimur.
S.: South, Southern.
sing: singular.
v.: vide, verb.
þ.: þáttr.

Works & Authors

Bs.: Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
Eb.: Eyrbyggja Saga. (D. II.)
Edda: Edda. (C. I.)
Fas.: Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)
Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Gg.: Grógaldr. (A. II.)
Grág.: Grágás. (B. I.)
Gþl.: Gulaþings-lög. (B. II.)
Hkv.: Helga-kviða Hundingsbana. (A. II.)
Hkv. Hjörv.: Helga-kviða Hjörvarðssonar. (A. II.)
Jb.: Jóns-bók. (B. III.)
Lex. Poët.: Lexicon Poëticum by Sveinbjörn Egilsson, 1860.
N. G. L.: Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)
Nj.: Njála. (D. II.)
Ó. H.: Ólafs Saga Helga. (E. I.)
Ölk.: Ölkofra-þáttr. (D. II.)
Stor.: Sona-torrek. (A. III.)

View All Sources →