Ala

As defined by A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic (Geir Zoëga):

ala Old Icelandic word can mean:

ala

(el, ól, ólum, alinn), v.

ala

1) to beget; born ólu þau, they begat children; börn þau, er hann elr við þeirri konu, begets by that woman;

ala

2) to bear, give birth to (þóra ól barn um sumarit); börn þau óll, er alin eru fyrir jól, who are born before Christmas; alnir ok úalnir (= úbornir), born and unborn, present and future generations;

ala

3) to bring up (children); ala skal barn hvert er borit verðr, every child that is born shall be brought up; adding the particle ‘upp’ skal eigi upp alla, heldr út bera arn þetta, this child shall not be brought up, but be exposed to perish; of animals, to rear, breed (einn smásauð, er hann ól heima í húsi sínu);

ala

4) to give food to, harbour, entertain (~ gest ok ganganda); guð elr gesti, God pays for the guests;

ala

5) fig. in various phrases; ~ aldr, ~ aldr sinn, to pass one’s days; a. sút to grieve, mourn (= sýta); a. önn of e-t or at e-u, to take care of, see to; a. e-t eptir e-m, to give one encouragement in a thing (ól hann eptir engum mönnum ódáðir); a. á mál, to press or urge a matter (nú elr Gunnarr á málit við þórð ok segir).

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:ᛅᛚᛅ

Also available in related dictionaries:

This headword also appears in dictionaries of other languages closely related to Old Icelandic.

• Old Norse - Cleasby & Vigfusson Dictionary
• Old Norwegian - Johan Fritzner's Dictionary
• Old Swedish - K.F Söderwall's Dictionary