Spor

Old Norse Dictionary - spor

Meaning of Old Norse word "spor"

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

spor
n. [Ulf. spaurds = στάδιον; A. S. spyrd, spor, = a track, footstep; O. H. G. spurt; Germ. spur; Dan. spor; these last having, like the Icel., dropped a d]:—a track, footprint; eptir þetta sté Froði í bergit … til þessa spors mun ek koma hvern dag, ok vita hvat í sporinu er, FaS. i. 63; manns-sporin í snjónum … heim munu liggja spor hans, FS. 41; mátti eigi hrærask ór þeim sporum, BS. i. 357; standa í þeim sporum, Sturl. ii. 63; þeir rekja spor sem hundar, FmS. i. 8; standa í sömum sporum. to stand still, Clem. 32, FaS. i. 63; hann stóð í spori er hann hafði gört sér, Grett. 89: ganga í spor e-m, to go in a man’s footsteps, go behind him, Nj. 26 vist hefir þá vel fram gengit, en þó hefir þú eigi gengit mér í spor, not followed in my steps, 108; hvetja sporit, to quicken one’s steps: spretta úr spori, to question the pace of a rider; fót-spor, q. v.: metaphorical phrases, þótti synir hans vel stíga í spor honum, his sons stepped well in his footprints, were like him, FS. 61; blístra í spor e-m, Korm.; sjá ben markar spjóti spor, Sd.: the phrase, renna blóði í spor, Bkv. 17, referring to a heathen rite of making foster-brotherhood by blending blood in one’s footprints (vestigia sua mutui sanguinis aspersione perfundere, Saxo 12), cp. Gísl., Fbr. S.: at vörmu spori (adverbial), on the warm track, instantly, in return; ‘fote-hot,’ Chaucer; poët. usages, sverða spor, a’sword’s prints’ i. e. wounds, Úlf. 11. 16; eggja spor, an ‘edge-print,’ Lex. poët.: dólg-spor = dólk-spor, dirk-prints., Hkv. 2. 40. spora-drjúgr, adj. fast pacing.

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

Abbreviations used:

adj.
adjective.
A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
cp.
compare.
Dan.
Danish.
f.
feminine.
Germ.
German.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
i. e.
id est.
l.
line.
m.
masculine.
n.
neuter.
O. H. G.
Old High German.
poët.
poetically.
q. v.
quod vide.
S.
Saga.
Ulf.
Ulfilas.
v.
vide.

Works & Authors cited:

Bkv.
Brynhildar-kviða. (A. II.)
Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
Clem.
Clements Saga. (F. III.)
Fas.
Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)
Fbr.
Fóstbræðra Saga. (D. II.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Fs.
Forn-sögur. (D. II.)
Gísl.
Gísla Saga. (D. II.)
Grett.
Grettis Saga. (D. II.)
Hkv.
Helga-kviða Hundingsbana. (A. II.)
Korm.
Kormaks Saga. (D. II.)
Lex. Poët.
Lexicon Poëticum by Sveinbjörn Egilsson, 1860.
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
Sd.
Svarfdæla Saga. (D. II.)
Sturl.
Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)
Úlf.
Úlfars-rímur.
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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