Björg

Meaning of Old Norse word "björg" (or bjǫrg)

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

Old Norse word björg can mean:björg

björg (bjǫrg)

f., gen. bjargar [v. bjarga], help, deliverance, out of need or danger, e. g. feeding the hungry, saving one’s life; unlawful ‘björg’ is that of giving help to an outlaw, who is ‘úráðandi öllum bjargráðum,’ one on whom no help must be bestowed, neither food, shelter, nor ferry; Grág. in several passages, and there commonly used in plur. (bjargir) when in this particular sense; it was liable to a heavy punishment, and the case was to be summoned before the Fifth Court, Grág. Þ. Þ. ch. 25, Ld. 42.

björg (bjǫrg)

β. lögmæt björg, a lawful point of defence in pleading in the Court (v. bjarga sök), Grág. i. 73.

björg (bjǫrg)

2. means of subsistence, stores, provisions, food; fjögurra (átta) missera b., Grág. i. 197, 286.

björg (bjǫrg)

3. a freq. pr. name of a woman, Ingibjörg, Þorbjörg, Guðbjörg, etc.; in Swed.-Dan. ‘-borg,’ as in Ingeborg, etc.

björg (bjǫrg)

COMPDS: bjargarlauss, bjargarleysi, bjargarvist.

Orthography: The Cleasby & Vigfusson book used letter ö to represent the original Old Norse vowel ǫ. Therefore, björg may be more accurately written as bjǫrg.

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