HVELJA

u, f. [hvalr, cp. Engl. wheal], the skin of a cyclopterus or whale, etc.: in pl. the metaph. súpa hveljur, to sup on hveljur, i. e. to lose the breath, to gasp as when about half drowned; ekki þurfti hann Oddr staup, hann ýmist sökk eða hveljur saup, Stef. 01.