Skafl

Old Norse Dictionary Entry

Skafl

Old Norse Dictionary Entry

Definitions

1 skafl

n. [from skafa], a snow-drift, a mass of snow, Fas, i. 116; standa sumir á skaflinum, Sturl. ii. 118; skafl var lagðr af hamrinum niðr á jöfnu, Þórð. 44; var kominn snjár á jörð í skafla á fjöllin, Fbr. 36; hann tók spjót sín ok rak í skaflinn, Sd. 163; snjó-skafl, passim; metaph. of waves white as drifted snow, báru-skafl, Hallfred; sjóvar-skaflar þeir sem brökuðu öllu megin at skipinu, Fas. ii. 76.

2 skafl

II. the pointed end of a sharp horse-shoe: skafla-járn, n. a sharp shoe: skafla-járna, að, to sharpen a shoe: skafla-járnaðr, adj. sharp-shod: hence the metaph. phrase, beygja skaflinn, to turn up the mouth in the shape of a horse-shoe, make a wry mouth, hence to cry (in mod. popular phrase, gera skeifu = make a horse-shoe, of children), Fb. i. 566, beygja af; skafl beygjattu skalli, þótt skúr á þik falli, Sturl. iii. (in a verse); hence,

3 skafl

2. the tusk of wild beasts; sökk tann-skaflinn djúpt, og reif með sér mikit af holdinu, Od. xix. 451.

Runic Inscription

ᛋᚴᛅᚠᛚ

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark

Abbreviations Used

Common Abbreviations

adj
adjective.
adj.
adjective.
ch
chapter.
l.
Linnæus.
metaph.
metaphor, metaphorical.
mod
modern.
mod.
modern.
n.
neuter.

Works & Authors

Fas.
Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)
Fb.
Flateyjar-bók (E. I.)
Fbr.
Fóstbræðra Saga. (D. II.)
Od.
Odysseifs-kvæði, prose, 1829.
Sd.
Svarfdæla Saga. (D. II.)
Sturl.
Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)
Þórð.
Þórðar Saga hreðu. (D. V.)

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