Old Norse Dictionary - ló

Meaning of Old Norse word "ló"

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

Old Norse word ló can mean:

f., pl. lær (i. e. lœr), lóa, u, f., Edda ii. 489, and in mod. usage:—a sandpiper; for a pretty legend of the origin of this bird see Ísl. Þjóðs. ii. 1, 2; snemma lóan lítla í lopti bláu dirrindí undir sólu syngr, Jónas; veiða smirla ok lœr, Grág. ii. 346; heitir lœr á leiru, Skálda 205, Edda (Gl.); hei-ló, q. v. = sandpiper; sand-ló, id.
2. metaph. a coward; flýðu þeir undan, lœr þeir, the sandpipers, the hares! Fms. xi. 36. ló-þræll, m. ‘sandpiper-thrall,’ the dunlin or tringa alpina, Edda (Gl.), so called from its following in the wake of the sandpiper, Fjölnir ix. 69, 70.
II. = lóð, q. v.; ló á klæði; hence af-lóa, adj. threadbare.

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

Abbreviations used:

f.
feminine.
i. e.
id est.
l.
line.
mod.
modern.
pl.
plural.
q. v.
quod vide.
v.
vide.
m.
masculine.
metaph.
metaphorical, metaphorically.
adj.
adjective.

Works & Authors cited:

Edda
Edda. (C. I.)
Grág.
Grágás. (B. I.)
Ísl. Þjóðs.
Íslenzkar Þjóðsögur.
Jónas
Jónas Hallgrímsson.
Skálda
Skálda. (H. I.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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