Ölmusa

Old Norse Dictionary - ölmusa

Meaning of Old Norse word "ölmusa" (or ǫlmusa)

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

ölmusa (ǫlmusa)
u, f., also almusa, Hom. passim; [A. S. ælmesse; Engl. alms; Germ. almosen; Dan. almisse; all from Gr. ἐλεημοσύνη]:—an alms, charity, Hom., Stj., K. Á., BS.; of any charity, thus in the Icel. grammar-school, the allowances are still called ölmusa; ölmusu moli, Stj. 157; ölmusu-gjarn, ölmusu-góðr, charitable, Greg. 75, BS. i. 332, 356: compds, ölmusu-gæði, charitableness, Hom., BS.: ölmusu-görð, -gjöf, -gipt, alms-giving, Greg. 75, Grág. i. 163, BlaS. 51, Stj., K. Á. 74, D. n. ii. 16: ölmusu-barn, an ‘alms-bairn,’ pauper child, Karl. 400: ölmusu-prestr, a priest pensioned off, ‘emeritus,’ Ám. 100: ölmusu-maðr, an almsman, bedesman, Ó. H., K. Á. 78: metaph. of an imbecile person; nenni ek víst eigi at ölmusur sparki í andlit mér, FS. 31; ölmusur at vexti ok fráleik, 41; gefa mun enn ölmusu-lagi til Húsafells, i. e. even a bedesman would start in such weather as this, Bjarn. 54.

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

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
Dan.
Danish.
Engl.
English.
f.
feminine.
Germ.
German.
gl.
glossary.
Gr.
Greek.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
i. e.
id est.
l.
line.
m.
masculine.
metaph.
metaphorical, metaphorically.
n.
neuter.
S.
Saga.

Works & Authors cited:

Ám.
Auðunnar-máldagi. (J. I.)
Bjarn.
Bjarnar Saga. (D. II.)
Blas.
Blasius Saga. (F. III.)
Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
D. N.
Diplomatarium Norvagicum. (J. II.)
Fs.
Forn-sögur. (D. II.)
Grág.
Grágás. (B. I.)
Greg.
Gregory. (F. II.)
Hom.
Homiliu-bók. (F. II.)
Karl.
Karla-magnús Saga. (G. I.)
K. Á.
Kristinn-réttr Árna biskups. (B. III.)
Ó. H.
Ólafs Saga Helga. (E. I.)
Stj.
Stjórn. (F. I.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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