Fórn

Old Norse Dictionary - fórn

Meaning of Old Norse word "fórn"

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

Old Norse word fórn can mean:fórn

fórn
(fórur, f. pl., Ver. 6), f. offering, [prob. a word of Lat. and eccl. origin, derived from Lat. offerre; after the introduction of Christianity the old heathen word blót (q. v.) became odious, as denoting heathen sacrifice, and is consequently never used in connection with Christian worship; its place being taken by the word fórn]:—a sacrifice in the Jewish sense, and in the Christian sense an offering to God; but it is scarcely ever used in a heathen sense—the passage Fær. 103 is quite peculiar: the phrase, færa fórn, to bring an offering, Stj. passim; Gúð mun sér sjá fórn til handa, 131, passim; brenni-fórn, a burnt offering; dreypi-fórn, a drink offering; synda-fórn, a sin offering, Bible, Vídal. passim: fórnar-blöð, n, the sacrificial blood, Stj. 305, 318; fórnar-brauð, n. and fórnar-hleifr, m. the shew-bread, Stj. 474, 565 (panis propositionis, Vulg.); fórnar-kvikindi, n. a victim, Stj. 430; fórnar-skrín, n. a shrine in which the wafer is kept, Vm. 55; fórnar-söngr, m. the offertory in the Roman Catholic service, 625. 190.
fórn
2. metaph. chiefly in pl. offerings, presents; in this sense it occurs in Am. 5 (a poem not too old for such a word), Fms. ix. 416; ríkar ok fagrar fórnir, Str. 34; fórnar-lauss, adj. not bringing an offering, Al. 172: sing., aldri ætla ek óþarfari fórn færða Sveini konungi, en þetta it vánda höfuð, Mork. 87.

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

Abbreviations used:

eccl.
ecclesiastical.
f.
feminine.
l.
line.
Lat.
Latin.
m.
masculine.
n.
neuter.
pl.
plural.
prob.
probably.
q. v.
quod vide.
v.
vide.
adj.
adjective.
metaph.
metaphorical, metaphorically.
sing.
singular.

Works & Authors cited:

Fær.
Færeyinga Saga. (E. II.)
Stj.
Stjórn. (F. I.)
Ver.
Veraldar Saga. (E. II.)
Vídal.
Vídalíns-Postilla.
Vm.
Vilkins-máldagi. (J. I.)
Al.
Alexanders Saga. (G. I.)
Am.
Atla-mál. (A. II.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Mork.
Morkinskinna. (E. I.)
Str.
Strengleikar. (G. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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