Detta

Old Norse Dictionary - detta

Meaning of Old Norse word "detta"

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

detta
pret. datt, 2nd pers. dazt, pl. duttu; part. dottinn; pres. dett; pret. subj. dytti:—to drop, fall: d. niðr dauðr, to drop down dead, Fms. iii. 132; of a bird when shot, 179; þeir tóku brandana jalhskjótt sem ofan duttu, Nj. 201; spjótið datt ór hendi, El. 91; duttu þær ofan, they tumbled down, Fas. ii. 84; draga þá stundum upp, en láta stundum d., Karl. 161: to drop, die suddenly, sauðfénaðr datt niðr unnvörpum í megrð, Bs. i. 873; þau hafa nú niðr dottið í hor, the cattle dropped down from starvation, 875: to sink, of the heart, Fbr. 108: metaph., líf dettr ór e-m, the life drops out of one, Fms. iii. 214: denoting to come on suddenly, daudinn dettr á, Al. 90; láttu nidr d., engu er nýtt, drop it, it is all false, Fs. 159: the phrases, e-m dettr e-t í hug, a thing drops into one’s mind, i. e. one recollects it suddenly; d. ofan yfir e-n, to be overwhelmed, amazed; d. í stafi, to fall in pieces (as a tub without hoops), to be amazed: cp. datta, dotta.

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

Abbreviations used:

cp.
compare.
i. e.
id est.
l.
line.
metaph.
metaphorical, metaphorically.
part.
participle.
pers.
person.
pl.
plural.
pres.
present.
pret.
preterite.
subj.
subjunctive.

Works & Authors cited:

Al.
Alexanders Saga. (G. I.)
Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
El.
Elis Saga. (G. II.)
Fas.
Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)
Fbr.
Fóstbræðra Saga. (D. II.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Fs.
Forn-sögur. (D. II.)
Karl.
Karla-magnús Saga. (G. I.)
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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