afl

power

* * *

I) m. hearth of a forge.

II) n.

1) physical strength (ramr styrkr, at afli);

2) force, violence taka með afli, by force;

3) plurality of votes, majority; ok skal afl ráda, the majority shall decide;

4) virtue, inherent power; afl dauðfœrandi grasa, the virtue of poisonous herbs.

* * *

m. [Grimm mentions an O. H. G. aval; abal is a dub. άπ. λεγ. in A. S. poetry, Ormul. avell]

1. strength, esp. physical force; afreksmaðr at afli ok áræði, Eg. 1; styrkr at afli, Fms. i. 19; ramr at afli, 155; fullkominn at afli ok hyggju, bodily and mental vigour, Ld. 256; stillt þú þó vel aflinu, at þú verðir eigi kendr, Nj. 32; hafa afl til e-s, be a match for, be able to do, Gþl. 411.

β. virtue; afl dauðfærandi grasa, virtue of poisonous herbs, 623. 26.

2. metaph. strength, power, might, Th. 19.

3. a law term, force, validity; dæmdu vér þetta boð Bjarna úlögligt ok ekki afl hafa, void, Dipl. iii. 3.

4. a law term, majority, odds, in the phrase, ok skal afl ráða, plurima vota valeant; ef gerðarmenn (umpires) verða eigi ásáttir ok skal a ráða, Grág. i. 493; nú verða fjórðungsmenn eigi ásáttir, þá skal afl ráða með þeim, i. l, cp. 44, 531 (where it is used of a jury); en ef þeir verða eigi ásáttir er í lögréttu sitja hvat þeir vilja lofa eðr í lög leiða, þá skolu þeir ryðja lögréttu (viz. divide) ok skal ráða a. með þeim, Nj. 150.

5. force, violence; taka með afli, Stj. 4. 30; bjóða e-m afl, Bs. ii. 106.

COMPDS: aflsmunr, aflsraun.