Brestr

Old Norse Dictionary - brestr

Meaning of Old Norse word "brestr"

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

Old Norse word brestr can mean:brestr

brestr
m. pl. ir, (old acc. pl. brestu, Jd. 25), an outburst, crash, Eb. 230, of a blow against a metal ring; steinarnir kómu saman, ok varð þar við b. hár, Glúm. 375 (cp. heraðs-brestr, vá-brestr), Fms. xi. 6, 7, Fbr. 148, Hkr. i. 342; her-brestr, the crash produced by a sort of powder (cp. Albertus Magnus), Bs. i. 798, 799; í þeim eldi léku laus björg stór sem kol á afli, svá at í þeirra samkomu urðu brestir svá stórir, at heyrði norðr um land (of a volcano), 803; mátti heyra stóra bresti, i. e. the clash of spears, Flov. 33.
brestr
II. a chink, fissure, esp. in jewellery; b. á gulli, Vkv. 25, cp. 24; vóru gimsteinar svá heilir at eigi var b. á þeim, Joh. 623. 20; kom mér þá í hug, at b. hafði verit á hringnum, … fleiri brestina, Ld. 126; cp. the phrase, berja í brestina, v. berja, to cry off a bargain, Nj. 32.
brestr
2. metaph. a crack, chink; bresti er í þeim ráðahag hafa verit, Ld. 128.
brestr
β. want, loss; hvert ábati eðr b. í varð, Fms. xi. 441; þar eptir fylgir b. bús, Bb. i. 12; hýbýla-brestr, domestic misfortune, Gísl. 79.
brestr
III. a rattle (hrossa-brestr).

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

Abbreviations used:

acc.
accusative.
cp.
compare.
i. e.
id est.
l.
line.
m.
masculine.
pl.
plural.
v.
vide.
esp.
especially.
metaph.
metaphorical, metaphorically.

Works & Authors cited:

Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
Eb.
Eyrbyggja Saga. (D. II.)
Fbr.
Fóstbræðra Saga. (D. II.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Glúm.
Víga-Glúms Saga. (D. II.)
Hkr.
Heimskringla. (E. I.)
Jd.
Jómsvíkinga-drápa. (A. III.)
Ld.
Laxdæla Saga. (D. II.)
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
Vkv.
Völundar-kviða. (A. II.)
Bb.
Búnaðar-bálkr.
Gísl.
Gísla Saga. (D. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

Back