gærning (OSw) gærning (ODan) giarning (OGu) gerning (ON) gerningr (ON) görning (ON) gerning (OSw) giarning (OSw) noun

Literally ‘deed’, particularly criminal deeds. Appears in numerous expressions referring to encountering someone in incriminating circumstances, exemplified below.


act act of violence action crime deed (1) evil deed misdeed offence poison sorcery violence violent act violent deed witchcraft work by an artisan Expressions:

braþ gærning (OSw)

spur of the moment OSw HL Kgb

sudden action OSw DL Eb

fa a færski gærning (OSw )

catch in the act OSw UL Kgb, Kmb VmL Kgb, Kmb

gerningar illar (ON)

sorcery ONorw GuL Krb

gærning göra, gærning gjora (OSw)

commit (a crime or offence) OSw UL Kkb, Kgb, Mb, Kmb, Rb VmL Kkb, Kgb, Mb, Kmb, Rb

takin ok gripin a faersko gaerning (OSw)

apprehended redhanded OSw HL Kgb

caught and apprehended in the very act OSw SdmL Kgb, Kmb

takin ælla fangin a samu gærning (OSw)

caught or captured in the act OSw DL Eb

Citation
  • ‘gærning’. A Lexicon of Medieval Nordic Law.
    http://www.dhi.ac.uk/lmnl/nordicheadword/displayPage/1892
    (05/18/2022)