Öxl

Old Norse Dictionary - öxl

Meaning of Old Norse word "öxl" (or ǫxl)

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

Old Norse word öxl can mean:öxl

öxl (ǫxl)
f., gen. axlar, pl. axlir; [Goth. amsa; A. S. eaxl; Engl. axle; Dan. axel; Germ. achsel; Fr. aisselle; all from Lat. axilla, Grimm’s Dict. i. 163]:—the shoulder-joint, so called from being the ‘axis’ on which the arm moves (the general word is herðar, q. v.): lerka at öxl, FmS. vi. 440; þeir þrifu í axlirnar ok toguðusk um, viii. 383; hendr blóðgar upp til axla, Þiðr.; féll hann ok lesti öxl sína, Þorf. Karl. 390, v. l.; dvergar á öxlum, Rm.; hann hafði öxi um öxl, across the shoulder, Ld. 276; á öxl, Gullþ. 64; engi maðr tók betr enn í öxl honum, FmS. v. 67; meðal axlar ok ölboga, BS. i. 640; hann slær sverðinu á öxl Grimi ok klýfr hann í herðar niðr, Finnb. 288; sat Þorkell upp við öxl, Th. sat half up leaning on his arm, Vápn. 29; at þú of öxl skjótir því er per atalt þykkir, cp. to turn the cold shoulder to, Gg.; lita, sja um oxl, to look over one’s shoulder at, look askance at, Orkn. (in a verse), Fbr. 38, 82 new Ed.
öxl (ǫxl)
2. metaph. the shoulder of a mountain; en er þeir kómu inn fyrir öxlina … undir öxlinni suðr frá Knerri, Eb. 76, 77 new Ed.; fjalls-öxl, FaS. i, 53.
öxl (ǫxl)
3. as a local name, Öxl, Landn.: Skegg-öxl, a mountain in western Iceland.
öxl (ǫxl)
4. the ‘shoulder’ of a knife, where blade and haft meet; var holdit hlaupit upp yfir knífs-axlirnar, BS. i. 385.
öxl (ǫxl)
5. öxull; hvel þat er veltr um úróar axlir, SkS. 76 new Ed.
öxl (ǫxl)
COMPDS: axlarbein, axlarbyrðr, axlarliðr, axlabönd.

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

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
cp.
compare.
Dan.
Danish.
Engl.
English.
f.
feminine.
Fr.
French in etymologies.
gen.
genitive.
Germ.
German.
gl.
glossary.
Goth.
Gothic.
l.
line.
Lat.
Latin.
m.
masculine.
n.
neuter.
pl.
plural.
q. v.
quod vide.
S.
Saga.
s. v.
sub voce.
v.
vide.
v. l.
varia lectio.
þ.
þáttr.
metaph.
metaphorical, metaphorically.

Works & Authors cited:

Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
Fbr.
Fóstbræðra Saga. (D. II.)
Finnb.
Finnboga Saga. (D. V.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Fr.
Fritzner’s Dictionary, 1867.
Gg.
Grógaldr. (A. II.)
Gullþ.
Gull-Þóris Saga. (D. II.)
Karl.
Karla-magnús Saga. (G. I.)
Ld.
Laxdæla Saga. (D. II.)
Orkn.
Orkneyinga Saga. (E. II.)
Rm.
Rígsmál. (A. II.)
Th.
Theophilus. (F. III.)
Vápn.
Vápnfirðinga Saga. (D. II.)
Þiðr.
Þiðreks Saga. (G. I.)
Þorf. Karl.
Þorfinns Saga Karlsefnis. (D. II.)
Eb.
Eyrbyggja Saga. (D. II.)
Fas.
Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)
Landn.
Landnáma. (D. I.)
Sks.
Konungs Skugg-sjá. (H. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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