Efni

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

efni Old Icelandic word can mean:

efni

n.

efni

1) stuff, material (svá skildu þeir, at allir hlutir væri smíðaðir af nökkuru efni); ek em görr af ústyrku efni, I am made of frail stuff; cf. biskups-, brúðar-, fægðar-, konu-, konungs-, mágs-, manns-, mungáts-, smíðar-efni;

efni

2) matter of discourse, subject, theme (þryti mér fyrr stundin til frásagnar en efnit til umrœðu) eigi með sönnu e., with untrue statement, falsely; nú er úti mitt e., now my story is at an end;

efni

3) matter, affair (segir konungr frá öllu þessu e.); fátt er betr látit en e. eru tíl, few things are reported better than they really are;

efni

4) cause, reason; látast báðir af því e., both die from this cause; fyrir þat e. (for that reason) keypti hann landit

efni

5) state, condition, affair; sagði, hver e. í vóru, he told how matters stood; ek veit eigi görla e. Gunnlaugs, how G.’s affairs stand; kominn í úvænt e., into a critical condition; óttalauss í öllu e., in every respect; er þessi hlutr kom til efnis, when this came aboitt; berr þat til efnis, at, it happens that;

efni

6) pl., means; ok bjuggust um eptir þeim efnum, sem þeir höfðu til, according to their means; engi vóru e. annars, þar vóru engi e. önnur, there was no other chance or choice.

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:ᛁᚠᚾᛁ

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