a, m., originally vreki, [cp. Goth. wrakja; A. S. wraca; Engl. sea-wrack, etc.]:—jetsum, a thing drifted ashore, see rek above; hverr maðr á reka fyrir landi sinn, viðar ok hvala ok sela, fiska ok fugla ok þara, Grág. ii. 352; kaupa reka af landi annars manns, 358, Fs. 174, 176, passim. In Icel., washed by the Polar stream and the Gulf stream, the right of jetsum in dead whales and drift-timber formed an important part of the public law; numerous passages in the Laws, Sagas, and Deeds bear witness to this, or relate to disputes about whales drifted ashore, e. g. Rd. ch. 8, Eb. ch. 57, Glúm. ch. 37, Grett. ch. 14, Háv. ch. 3.

2. in compds: reka-gögn, ‘wreck-gain,’ returns from jetsum, Dipl. iii. 3; reka-hvalr, Grág. ii. 358, 366. 381; reka-bútr, -drumbr, -tré, -viðr, a drift-log, tree, Fb. i. 213, Háv. 40, K. Þ. K. 84, Bs. i. 674, Eg. 135, Grág. ii. 211; reka-partr, a share in a jetsum, Dipl. ii. 9; reka-mark, a landmark of a reki, Grág. ii. 355, Jb. 316, 321, 322; reka-maðr, a ‘drift-man,’ lord of the manor, owner of jetsum (as owner or purchaser), Grág. ii. 359, Jb. 317; reka-strönd, a ‘wreck-strand,’ where whales or trees are driven ashore, Ld. 96, K. Þ. K. 82, Js. 49; reka-búi, a neighbour or juror in a case of jetsum; ok skulu rekabúar virða hval, Grág. ii. 371; reka-fjara = reka-strönd, 357, Jb. 316; reka-bálkr and reka-þáttr, the section in law referring to jetsum, Grág. ii. 352, Jb. 313, sqq.

II. persecution; var eigi svá mikill reki at görr um vígit sem ván mundi þykkja um svá göfgan mann, Eb. 194; Eiðr var þá mjök gamlaðr, varð af því at þessu görr engi reki, Ld. 250; þeir görðu mikinn reka at þeim verkum er þar vóru gör, Fbr. 59 new Ed.

III. in compds, as eyrend-reki, a messenger; land-reki, a king:—a driver, drover, in sauð-reki, hjarð-reki, naut-rcki, lest-reki, q. v.