u, f. (qs. tófa); [this word, at present the general name for the fox, seems not to occur in old writers (cp. fóa, refr, melrakki), not even among the names of foxes, Edda ii. 490; but it occurs in the modern rhyme quoted by Maurer, 169; the etymology is not certain, between the two vowels some consonant has been absorbed, perh. f, qs. tófa, from the fox’s tufted tail; or, it may be akin to tæfa, týja (q. v.), Dan. tæve = a dam with cubs.]

B. A fox, passim in mod. usage; aldrei tryggist tóa | þó tekin sé úr henni róa, Hallgr.; aldrei verðr tóan tryggð | teigað hefir hún lamba blóð, | sízt er von á djúpri dyggð | dóttir Skolla er ekki góð, a ditty; there are in Icel. rhymed fables called Tóu-kvæði = Fox-songs; one at least (not published) is attributed to Hallgrim Pétrsson (17th century); but the earliest is the Skaufala-bálkr, cp the words grýla, refr, skröggr, skaufali, mel-rakki (see melr).

COMPDS: tóu-skinn, tóu-skott, n. a fox-skin, fox-tail. tóu-yrlingr, m. a fox-cub.