Nið-gjöld

Old Norse Dictionary - nið-gjöld

Meaning of Old Norse word "nið-gjöld" (or nið-gjǫld)

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

nið-gjöld (nið-gjǫld)
n. pl. weregild after the slaughter of a relative or the weregild payable to the more distant relatives of the slain, opp. to the höfuðbaugr; or even simply = weregild, gjalda hinn vegna niðgjöldum, Grág. ii. 63, 79; skal þessa menn alla gjalda niðgjöldum, 131; þá menn alla skal jamt aptr gjalda niðgjöldum, sem þeir sé vegnir, þótt þeir lifi, svá er mælt, at þat sumar skal niðgjalda heimting upp hetja, er …, Grág. ii. 185; gjaldi sendimenn konungs niðgjöldum, Eg. 575, v. l.

Orthography: The Cleasby & Vigfusson book used letter ö to represent the original Old Norse vowel ǫ. Therefore, nið-gjöld may be more accurately written as nið-gjǫld.

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

Abbreviations used:

l.
line.
n.
neuter.
opp.
opposed.
pl.
plural.
v.
vide.
v. l.
varia lectio.

Works & Authors cited:

Eg.
Egils Saga. (D. II.)
Grág.
Grágás. (B. I.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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