Arðr

Old Norse Dictionary - arðr

Meaning of Old Norse word "arðr"

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

Old Norse word arðr can mean:arðr

arðr
rs, m. [Lat. aratrum; Gael. arad; cp. erja, Ulf. arjan, arare; A. S. erian; Old Engl. ear, etc.; in Norse ar or al is a small plough]
arðr
1. a sort of plough, probably different in size and shape from plógr, which is a later word, of foreign stamp, as are all that have p for their initial letter. The poem Rm. distinguishes between both, göra arðr (acc.) and keyra plóg, 19. The first colonisers of Iceland used arðr, as shewn by Landn. 35 (relating events of the year 875); hann átti einn oxa, ok lét hann þrælana draga arðrinn; eykr fyrir plógi eðr arðri (plough or ard), n. G. l. ii. 115; ef maðr stel jarni af arðri eðr plógi, id.; höggva má maðr sér til plógs eðr arðs (gen. dropping the radical r), id.; draga arðr, Al. 52; arðri (dat.), Karl. 471, Mar. (Fr.), Stj.: um allt þat er miklu varðar er betri sígandi arðr en svífandi (emend. of Dr. Hallgrim Scheving), a proverb, better a slow but deep trenching plough than a quick and shallow one, BS. i. 139; the old arðr was probably bulky and heavy.
arðr
2. metaph. in Icel. at present arðr (gen. arðs, arðar, Snót 90), as well as plógr, means gain, produce, profit: arðsamr, adj. profitable.
arðr
COMPD: arðsgeldingr.

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
cp.
compare.
Engl.
English.
etc.
et cetera.
f.
feminine.
Gael.
Gaelic.
gl.
glossary.
l.
line.
Lat.
Latin.
m.
masculine.
S.
Saga.
Ulf.
Ulfilas.
acc.
accusative.
dat.
dative.
Fr.
French in etymologies.
gen.
genitive.
id.
idem, referring to the passage quoted or to the translation
L.
Linnæus.
n.
neuter.
adj.
adjective.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
metaph.
metaphorical, metaphorically.

Works & Authors cited:

Al.
Alexanders Saga. (G. I.)
Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
Fr.
Fritzner’s Dictionary, 1867.
Karl.
Karla-magnús Saga. (G. I.)
Landn.
Landnáma. (D. I.)
Mar.
Maríu Saga. (F. III.)
N. G. L.
Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)
Rm.
Rígsmál. (A. II.)
Stj.
Stjórn. (F. I.)
Snót
Snót, poems.
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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