Old Norse Dictionary - vé

Meaning of Old Norse word "vé"

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

Old Norse word vé can mean:

1. n. pl., different from the preceding word; [the Lat. vexillum is a dimin. derivative from root of veho; the root word is vigan = to carry high, Lat. veho]:—a standard, remains only in poetry; gyld vé, golden standards, Fms. i. 175 (in a verse); veðr-blásin vé, vii. 345 (in a verse); fram óðu vé, vi. 409 (in a verse); þar er vé vaða, Darr. 6; gullsett vé gnæfa, vé geysa, glymja, skjálfa, blása, ríða, all poët. phrases of the standard carried high in battle, see Lex. poët.; reisa vé, to hoist the vé, Fms. v.ii. (in a verse); hildar vé, the ‘war-standard,’ i. e. a shield, Haustl. 1, (for shields were used as such, see remarks s. v. skjöldr.)
2. interj. [Goth. vai; Germ. wehe; Lat. vae; cp. vá], woe, misery; eymd eðr vé, Stj. 39.

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

Similar entries:

Abbreviations used:

dimin.
diminutive.
i. e.
id est.
l.
line.
Lat.
Latin.
n.
neuter.
pl.
plural.
poët.
poetically.
s. v.
sub voce.
v.
vide.
cp.
compare.
Germ.
German.
Goth.
Gothic.
m.
masculine.

Works & Authors cited:

Darr.
Darraðar-ljóð. (A. III.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Haustl.
Haustlöng. (A. I.)
Lex. Poët.
Lexicon Poëticum by Sveinbjörn Egilsson, 1860.
Stj.
Stjórn. (F. I.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

Back