Spyrja

Old Norse Dictionary - spyrja

Meaning of Old Norse word "spyrja"

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

Old Norse word spyrja can mean:spyrja

spyrja
pres. spyr, spyrjum, pl. spurði; subj. spyrði; imperat. spyr, spyrðú part. spurðr, spurt: a part. spurnum, as from a strong verb spurinn, SkS. 12 B. In mod. usage sounded as with u throughout, thus, infin. spurja; pres. spur; imperat. spurðu: with neg. suff. spyrjattu (speer thou not), FaS. i. (in a verse): [spor; A. S. spurian; Scot. and North. E. speer; Germ. spüren; Swed. spörja, spörge.]
spyrja
B. To track, trace steps or footprints; nú er maðr stolinn fé sínu, ok sér hann manna-farveg liggja frá garði, þá skal hann … spyrja til garðs manns, Gþl. 539; með hundum, er því vóru vanir at S. þá upp er undan hljópusk, Ó. H. 247, Hom. 159.
spyrja
2. metaph. to track, investigate, find out (Germ. aufspüren): ok er engi likari til enn annarr, þá skolu ölhús-menn morð spyrja, n. G. l. i. 62; en erfingi spyri morð ef hann kann eptir koma, ii. 215; þá spyri erfingi morðs (morð), i. 309, but this sense is old and obsolete: S. upp, to find out; þeir fengu hann eigi upp spurðan, Sturl. ii. 125.
spyrja
II. to speer, ask, absol. or with gen.: spyrja lögspurning, Grág. i. 21; Gunnarr spurði, hvat hann vildi þá láta at gera, Nj. 100: þeir spurdu hvat þar væri komit. FmS. i. 9:—with gen., S. e-s, to enquire after; spyrr konungr margra tiðinda, iv. 192: hann spurði margs ór brennunni, Nj. 213, passim: to request, spyrja síðan alla lögréttu menn, Grág. i. 8.
spyrja
2. with prepp.; spyrja at e-u or spyrja e-n at e-u, to speer or ask after; spurði hann at Ástriði ok syni hennar, FmS. i. 70; S. at þingfesti manna, Grág. i. 19: spyrr Sigvaldi at ferðum Ólafs, FmS. x. 226, Gþl. 221; konungr spurði hann at nafni, speered at him for his name, Nj. 6:—S. eptir, spurði Höskuldr dóttur sína ekki eptir, did not ask her, ask her consent, Ni. 17; spurði Fjönir eptir bræðr sína, F. asked after his brothers. FmS. xi. 44; S. eptir e-n, to enquire after, i. 263, iv. 32, Eg. 89:—S. e-n um e-t (= eptir e-u), þeir spurðu Gunnar um fundinn, Nj. 100.
spyrja
3. to hear, be informed of (Germ. erfahren): þat spyrja synir Haralds, FmS. i. 18; þat spyrr Bárðr at …, Eg. 31; Snorri spyrr nú hvar komit er málunum, Nj. 244, passim: S. til e-s, to get intelligence as to; þeir spurðu til Birkibeina, FmS. ix. 224; Gregorius spurði til þeirra þar sem hrita Saurbæir, vii. 270; spurði hann til Sóta, at hann var farinn suðr, Nj. 7.
spyrja
III. reflex. to be reported, get abroad; skipkváman spyrsk, Nj. 5; tíðendi spyrjask, 25, 85; til Þorveigar spurðisk þat, at hón lá hætt, it was told of Th. that she was very ill, Korm. 164; hefir til þess skips aldregi spurzk, nothing has since been heard of this ship. Nj. 282: imperS., mér spyrsk á þann veg, I am told, Eg. 20: spyrjask fyrir um e-t, to enquire, Ld. 226, Hkr. ii. 333: spyrjask um vandliga, id., SkS. 284.
spyrja
2. recipr. to ask one another; spyrjask tíðenda, Nj. 227, 228, Eg. 547.
spyrja
3. part., svara spurnum hlut, SkS. 12 B.

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
f.
feminine.
Germ.
German.
imperat.
imperative.
infin.
infinitive.
l.
line.
m.
masculine.
mod.
modern.
n.
neuter.
neg.
negative.
North. E.
Northern English.
part.
participle.
pl.
plural.
pres.
present.
S.
Saga.
Scot.
Scottish.
subj.
subjunctive.
uff.
suffix.
Swed.
Swedish.
L.
Linnæus.
metaph.
metaphorical, metaphorically.
absol.
absolute, absolutely.
gen.
genitive.
v.
vide.
id.
idem, referring to the passage quoted or to the translation
impers.
impersonal.
pers.
person.
reflex.
retlexive.
pr.
proper, properly.
recipr.
reciprocally.

Works & Authors cited:

Fas.
Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)
Sks.
Konungs Skugg-sjá. (H. II.)
Gþl.
Gulaþings-lög. (B. II.)
Hom.
Homiliu-bók. (F. II.)
Ó. H.
Ólafs Saga Helga. (E. I.)
N. G. L.
Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)
Sturl.
Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Grág.
Grágás. (B. I.)
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
Eg.
Egils Saga. (D. II.)
Hkr.
Heimskringla. (E. I.)
Korm.
Kormaks Saga. (D. II.)
Ld.
Laxdæla Saga. (D. II.)
Th.
Theophilus. (F. III.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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