VÖLLR

(gen. vallar, dat. velli; pl. vellir, acc. völlu), m.

1) field, (level) ground (þar vöru víða vellir sléttir); kasta sér niðr við vellinum, to cast oneself down flat on the ground; leggja e-n við (or at) velli, to lay one level with the ground, kill one; hús mín liggja við velli, my house lies an the ground, is demolished; lauss á velli, loose in the ranks, not steady; fastr á velli, firm, steady; vígligr á velli at sjá, martial to look at; friðr, mikill á velli, of fine, stout, appearance;

2) manured field, meadow (reiða á völl).

* * *

m., gen. vallar, dat. velli; pl. vellir, gen. valla, acc. völlu, mod. velli; [Icel. völlr and Germ. wald = wood seem to be the same word; the change in the sense from wood to field being much the same as in mörk]:—a field; knáttu Vanir völlu sporna, Vsp. 28; vaxinn völlum hæri, 36; völlu algræna, Akv. 13; þar vóru víða vellir sléttir, Fms. vii. 56; þeir sátu úti at skemtan sinni á völlum nökkurum, vi. 141; þar var torfa ristin ór velli … fastir í vellinum, Ld. 58; kasta sér niðr við vellinum, flat on the ground, Nj. 58; leggja e-n við velli, to lay one level with the ground, Fms. v. 236; or at velli, Nj. 117; hús min liggja við velli, lies on the ground, is demolished, Fms. iii. 144; hasla e-m völl, Eg. 273 (see hasla); lauss á velli, loose in the ranks, not steady, Eg. 293; fastr á velli, firm, steady. Fms. xi. 246; vígligr á velli at sjá, warlike to look at, Eg. 475; so, fríðr, mikill … á velli, of fine, stout … appearance; miklir at vallar-sýn. big in outward appearance, Nj. 66, v. l.; víg-völlr, a battle-field; þing-völlr, q. v.; þreskj-öldr.

2. a close or paddock; at úsánum ok úbreiddum völlum, unsown and unmanured fields, Jb. 193; reiða á völl, Grág.; slá átta stakka völl, Fb. i. 522; tún-völlr, Korm.

II. freq. in local names, Völlr and Vellir, Rangár-vellir.

COMPDS: vallargarðr.