Eira

Old Norse Dictionary - eira

Meaning of Old Norse word "eira"

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

Old Norse word eira can mean:eira

eira
1. ð, [A. S. ârian = parcere], to spare, with dat.; hafa allir hlutir unnit eiða at e. Baldri (not to hurt Balder), Edda 37; hann eirði öngu hvárki í orðum né verkum, he spared naught either in word or work, Nj. 184, FmS. vii. 312; at þeir skyldu e. konum ok kirkjum, spare women and churches, Sturl. iii. 40; e. undan e-u, to yield; höfum vér lengi undan eirt fjandskap yðrum, Ld. 204; kvað hann þá ekki mundu tjá at letja sik, kvaðsk lengi hafa undan eirt, FmS. vii. 244; ok meir þykjumk vér undan eira, Sturl. i. 72; eptir þetta ríða þeir Ögmundr í brott, ok eirir hann undan þá enn fyrst, iii. 103.
eira
β. imperS., e-m eirir e-t illa, it displeases one, i. e. to feel ill at rest with a thing; illa eirði mér fall þitt, Flóv. 29; Eiríki konungi eirði þetta stórilla, FmS. i. 19; honum eirir illa ef hann hefir eigi sitt mál, Ísl. ii. 236; Bergi eirði hit versta, FS. 53; eira vel (ironically), to be well pleased, meira efni hefir hann til eldingar en honum megi vel eira inni at vera, 45: to do for one, vitum hve oss eiri öl þat er Bárðr of signdi, let us see how Bard’s draught will agree with us, Eg. ch. 44 (in a verse); Egill fann, at honum mundi ekki svá búit eira, E. felt, that this would not do, Eg. 552. In mod. usage, eira means to feel at rest (= una), of a man or beast who is restless or runs from one place to another,—it is said ‘hann eirir hvergi,’ he can nowhere rest; the other senses are obsolete.
eira
2. u, f. rest, = eirð.

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
dat.
dative.
l.
line.
S.
Saga.
ch.
chapter.
i. e.
id est.
impers.
impersonal.
mod.
modern.
pers.
person.
v.
vide.
f.
feminine.

Works & Authors cited:

Edda
Edda. (C. I.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Ld.
Laxdæla Saga. (D. II.)
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
Sturl.
Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)
Eg.
Egils Saga. (D. II.)
Flóv.
Flóvents Saga. (G. II.)
Fs.
Forn-sögur. (D. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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