Ham-farir

Old Norse Dictionary - ham-farir

Meaning of Old Norse word "ham-farir"

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

ham-farir: f. pl. a mythical word, the ‘faring’ or travelling in the assumed shape of an animal, fowl or deer, fish or serpent, with magical speed over land and sea, the wizard’s own body meantime lying lifeless and motionless; graphically depicted in Yngl. S. ch. 7, Vd. ch. 12, Hkr. (O. T.) ch. 37; hann sendi Finna tvá í hamförum til Íslands, Landn. 174; Haraldr konungr bauð kunngum manni at fara í hamförum til Íslands, sá fór í hvals-líki, etc., Hkr. i. 228.

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

Abbreviations used:

ch.: chapter.

etc.: et cetera.

f.: feminine.

gl.: glossary.

l.: line.

n.: neuter.

pl.: plural.

S.: Saga.

Works & Authors cited:

Hkr.: Heimskringla. (E. I.)

Landn.: Landnáma. (D. I.)

Vd.: Vatnsdæla Saga. (D. II.)

Yngl. S.: Ynglinga Saga. (C. II.)

➞ See all works cited in the dictionary