Ör

Meaning of Old Norse word "ör" (or ǫr)

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

Old Norse word ör can mean:ör

ör (ǫr)

f., gen. örvar; dat. öru, Grág. ii. 19, and later ör; pl. örvar, örva, örum; also spelt with f, örfar, etc.: [A. S. aruwe; Engl. arrow; the word may be akin to örr, adj. = the swift]:—an arrow; örina, annarri ör, … ör liggr þar úti, ok er sú af þeirra örum, … örunum, … ör (acc.), Nj. 96, 115, Hkr. i. 241; örvar þrjár, … örvunum (sic), FaS. i. 511, 541, and passim.

ör (ǫr)

2. metaph. a summons to a meeting, by the sending out an arrow (like the Gaelic ‘fiery cross’), both in war and peace, but originally as a war-token (her-ör); skera örvar upp, JS. 37; skera ör, 41; nema ör eða maðr stefni honum þing, 42: also of a warrant (cp. Germ. steck-brief), summoning a person to appear; the law phrases are, leggja örvar á e-n, to lay an arrow upon, i. e. to summon by a warrant; fylgja örum, to follow the arrow, i. e. to answer a summons; sá skal örum fylgja er fyrstr var á lagðr, n. G. l. i. 60; örvar þrjár … ein ör at dauðum manni, önnur at sárum …, allir skulu þeir örvar bera en engi fella, … sá skal örum fylgja er á eru lagðar … nú ef örvar taka hann ok sækir eigi þing, þá berr hann á baki sök, 270.

ör (ǫr)

II. in poët. compds, ör-bragð, ör-drif, ör-veðr, = a shower of shafts; ör-sæti = a shield; ör-rjóðr, ör-slöngvir, = a warrior.

ör (ǫr)

B. COMPDS: örvarboð, örvadrífa, örvaflug, örvarhúnn, örvamalr, örvamælir, örvaroddr, örvarskapt, örvarskot, örvarskurðr, örvarþing.

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

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