Brjóst

Old Norse Dictionary - brjóst

Meaning of Old Norse word "brjóst"

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

Old Norse word brjóst can mean:brjóst

brjóst
n. (brysti, provinc. Icel.), [Ulf. brusts, f. pl. = στηθος and σπλάγχνα; A. S. breost; Engl. breast; Hel. briost, n. pl.; Swed. bröst; Dan. bryst, n.; Germ. brust, f.]:—the breast; b. ok kviðr, Eg. 579, Nj. 95; önd í brjósti, K. Þ. K. 26; Lat. uber, a woman’s breast, in pl., fæða barn á brjósti, feed a bairn at the breast, BS. i. 666, Str. 18, Stj. 429: mod. chiefly in pl. = Lat. mammae; hafa barn á brjóstum; brjósta-mjólk, milk from the breast; brjósta-mein, medic. ulcus or abscessus mammarum,l. ix. 202; brjósta-verkr, mastodynia (of women), id.
brjóst
II. with the ancients the breast was thought to be the abode of the mind, as well as of feeling, hence it is poët. called hug-borg, mun-strönd, reið rýnis, minnis knörr, etc., the castle, strand, wain, ship of mind, of thought, of memory, etc., vide Lex. poët., Edda 105, Höfuðl. 1, Stor. 18; thus brjóst freq. metaph. means feeling, temper, disposition; hafa ekki b. til e-s, to have no heart for it; kenna í brjósti um e-n, to ‘feel in the breast’ for one, feel compassion for; mun hann vera þrályndr sem faðir hans, en hafa brjóst verra, a harder heart, Sturl. iii. 144, BS. ii. 70, 41; láta eigi allt fyrir brjósti brenna, of a hardy, daring man; e-m rennr í brjóst, of a light slumber, esp. of one sick.
brjóst
β. the front, of a wave, BS. i. 484; b. fylkingar, of a line, Eg. 268, FmS. v. 77.
brjóst
γ. metaph. the breast-work or protector of one; b. ok hlífskjöldr, Hom. 95; bera (vera) b. fyrir e-m, to be one’s defender, to shield one, FmS. vii. 263, x. 235; the phrase, vinna eið fyrir brjósti e-s, on one’s behalf,l. 484.

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
Dan.
Danish.
Engl.
English.
f.
feminine.
Germ.
German.
gl.
glossary.
Hel.
Heliand.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
id.
idem, referring to the passage quoted or to the translation
l.
line.
Lat.
Latin.
m.
masculine.
medic.
medicine, medically.
mod.
modern.
n.
neuter.
pl.
plural.
provinc.
provincial.
S.
Saga.
Swed.
Swedish.
Ulf.
Ulfilas.
esp.
especially.
etc.
et cetera.
freq.
frequent, frequently.
metaph.
metaphorical, metaphorically.
poët.
poetically.
s. v.
sub voce.
v.
vide.

Works & Authors cited:

Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
Eg.
Egils Saga. (D. II.)
Fél.
Félags-rit.
K. Þ. K.
Kristinn-réttr Þorláks ok Ketils = Kristinna-laga-þáttr. (B. I.)
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
Stj.
Stjórn. (F. I.)
Str.
Strengleikar. (G. II.)
Edda
Edda. (C. I.)
Höfuðl.
Höfuðlausn. (A. III.)
Lex. Poët.
Lexicon Poëticum by Sveinbjörn Egilsson, 1860.
Stor.
Sona-torrek. (A. III.)
Sturl.
Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Gþl.
Gulaþings-lög. (B. II.)
Hom.
Homiliu-bók. (F. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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