Page:An Etymological Dictionary of the Norn Language in Shetland Part I.pdf/435

formerly divided into three small districts, each provided with a local magistrate, of which “de Herra” was the central one. “de Herra” in the Isle of Yell is still divided into “de In-herra” [*inn-herað], east of Hwalfirth Voe, and “de Ut-herra” [*út-herað], west of Hwalfirth Voe. “de Herra” in Lunnasting, M., is also named “de Harre [häre]” by people there. See Sh. Stedn. pp. 174—175. — O.N. herað, n., an inhabited part of the country; village; district.

herri, hirri [hərri (hʌrri)], vb., by shouting to chase away animals (sheep and esp. pigs) or poultry (hens and esp. geese); to h. at geese and swine; to h. de geese. Fe., Yⁿ. Cf. Sw. dial. härja = har(r)ja, vb., to shout, raise an alarm. See harri, vb.

herski, adj., see hirski, adj.

hervek [hɛrvək, hærvək], sb., the great northern diver; see further under hirvek, sb.

hesp [hæsp], sb. 1) a wooden hasp of a door. 2) a skein of yarn, a h. o’ worsed [‘worsted’], comm. O.N. hespa, f., a) a hasp, fastening; b) a skein of yarn; likewise L.Sc. hesp, sb.

hesper, sb., see *hospra and *hosper, sb.

*hest [hæst], *hesta [hæsta] and *hestin [hæstɩn], sb., a horse (stallion). Fo.; N.I. From U. is reported hestin as a sea-term, tabu-name for horse in fishermen’s lang. “hesta-foal”, and (abbr.) hesta are still occas. used in the N.I. denoting a wild boy, prop. a colt (reported from U. and Fe.). — In place-names hest is found as a designation of certain rocky formations, esp. rocks by the sea-shore, thus e.g. Hest (Oddste, Fe.), Hessen (*Hesten) gula [hæsən gola] (N.Roe), a yellowish rock: *hestinn gula, accuss. of “hestrinn guli”. Occas. by anglicising

“horse”, e.g. de Horse o’ Hjafell [hjāfel] (Ness of Islesburgh, Nm^w.). — O.N. hestr, m., a horse, esp. a stallion.

het, sb., see hed, sb.

*hevdi [hɛvdi, hævdi] and *hevda [hɛvda, hævda], sb., a promontory; high, steep point of land. Now only used as a place-name, but often with prefixed definite article: de H. The meaning of the name is still understood owing to its frequent occurrence, and therefore it may be regarded as bordering on a common noun. As place-names are also found the forms a) hefda, e.g. in “Lamba-hefda [lam·bahef·da]” (Y., between Reafirth and Otterswick): *lambahǫfði; b) with added def. art.: hevdin [hævdin, hævdɩn, hɛvd-], e.g. “de Hevdin [hævdin] o’ Wadderste”, “de Hevdin o’ de Ness” (both in De.): *hǫfðinn. Occas. with dropped ending: hevd, e.g. in “Hohevd [hohɛvd·]” = Hohevda [hohɛv·da] (Hamna Voe, Esh., Nm^w.): háhǫfði, “the high promontory”. Occas. anglicised: Head, e.g. in “de Head o’ Hevdigert [hɛv··dɩge‘rt·] (Y^m.): hǫfðagarðs hǫfði. — O.N. hǫfði, m., a promontory.

heved [hevəd, hɛvəd], sb., “head”, an object formed like a head, a knob; lump; something grown or huddled together; a beilin’ h., a boil; a h. o’ breer (sprouting corn); “in a h. o’ breer” is said of reaped corn grown together at the ears in consequence of damp (Fe.); a h. o’ rust (smut); a h. o’ scab (o’ a scab). Also hived [hɩvəd]: Uⁿ.; a h. o’ a sten, a large, lumpy stone; he left it a’ [‘all’] lyin’ in hiveds, he left it lying in lumps, applied to someone digging carelessly with a spade, leaving the soil unsmoothed. — The word has now been lost in its original sense the head of living beings. — O.N. hǫfuð, n., a) the head; b) an object