öl (OSw) ol (OGu) öl (ON) öldr (ON) noun

Literally ‘ale’ or ‘beer’. As a necessary provision in festivities, the word took on a legal significance referring to social gatherings where legally important actions took place, such as ON ölgerð ‘The Ale feast’, OSw (lagha) ölstæmna ‘legal feast’, giftaröl ’marriage beer’ and ærvisöl ‘commemorative feast’. In connection with funerals, this feast was generally given on the seventh or 30th day after the funeral. Instructions to give ale feasts are mentioned in several kings’ sagas. Öl, including its various compounds, also appears as a public place where violence or accusations of adultery had specific legal consequences (DL Kb, HL Mb, YVgL Urb, ÄVgL Urb). Cf. ölfriþer ‘banquet peace’ and other öl- compounds.

ale OGu GL A 24
ONorw GuL Krb, Løb
ale feast ONorw GuL Kvb, Løb, Arb
beer OSw ÄVgL Gb
OSw BjR
OSw DL Mb
OSw YVgL Gb, Add
feast OSw ÄVgL Md
OSw YVgL Drb
wedding OSw ÖgL Äb
Expressions:

gutniskt öl (OSw)

beer from Gotland OSw MESt Kmb

swænst öl, trafnöl (OSw)

Swedish beer, beer from Lübeck OSw BjR MESt Kmb

Refs:

GuL, ch. 115; Helle 2001, 170, 191; KLNM s.v.v. arbeidsfest, bryggestol, drikkeoffer, einer, handelsafgifter, humle, jord, pors, øl, ölhandel; Robberstad 1981, 322, 334; Schlyter s.v. öl; Thunaeus 1968, 52­−56