Gaupn

Old Norse Dictionary - gaupn

Meaning of Old Norse word "gaupn"

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

Old Norse word gaupn can mean:gaupn

gaupn
f. [Scot. goupen or goupin; O. H. G. coufan; mid. H. G. goufen; Swed. göpen], prop. both bands held together in the form of a bowl; in the phrases, sjá, horfa, líta, lúta í gaupnir sér, to look, lout (i. e. bend down) into one’s goupen, to cover one’s face with the palms, as a token of sorrow, prayer, thought, or the like, Sturl. iii. 113, Orkn. 170, Al. 115, O. H. l. 13; hón sá í gaupnir sér ok grét, she covered her face and wept, Vápn. 21, cp. Grett. 129; þá laut hón fram í gaupnir sér á borðit, Greg. 65; ilja gaupnir, poët. the hollows in the soles of the feet, Þd. 3; hafa e-n í gaupnum sér (better reading greipum), to have a person in one’s clutch, O. H. l. l. c.
gaupn
2. as a measure, as much as can be taken in the hands held together, as in Scot. ‘gowd in goupins;’ gaupnir silfrs, goupens of silver, Fas. ii. 176; gaupnir moldar, goupens of earth, id. gaupna-sýn, f. a looking into one’s palms, covering one’s face, O. H. l. l. c.

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

Abbreviations used:

cp.
compare.
f.
feminine.
id.
idem, referring to the passage quoted or to the translation
i. e.
id est.
l.
line.
L.
Linnæus.
l. c.
loco citato.
mid. H. G.
middle High German.
n.
neuter.
O. H. G.
Old High German.
poët.
poetically.
prop.
proper, properly.
Scot.
Scottish.
Swed.
Swedish.

Works & Authors cited:

Al.
Alexanders Saga. (G. I.)
Greg.
Gregory. (F. II.)
Grett.
Grettis Saga. (D. II.)
O. H. L.
Ólafs Saga Helga Legendaria. (E. I.)
Orkn.
Orkneyinga Saga. (E. II.)
Sturl.
Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)
Vápn.
Vápnfirðinga Saga. (D. II.)
Þd.
Þórs-drápa. (A. I.)
Fas.
Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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