herme

Norwegian Bokmål

herme av Herakles
herm of Heracles

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /her.me/, [²hæɾ.mə]

Etymology 1

From Old Norse herma, from Proto-Germanic *harmijaną (“to mimic, imitate; repeat, report”). Compare Icelandic herma and Swedish härma.

Verb

herme (imperative herm, present tense hermer, simple past hermet or herma, past participle hermet or hermt or herma)

1. to mimic, copy

   Slutt å herme etter meg!

   Stop mimicking me!

   • 2015, Inger-Lise Køltzow, Tiden med barn - fra spebarn til tenåring, Figenschou:

     [...] Babyen kan lære seg lyder, hun vil etter hvert herme etter dine bevegelser, hun kan gurgle, le og smile tilbake.

     [...] The baby can learn sounds, she will eventually mimic your movements, she can gurgle, laugh and smile back.

   • 2016, Anne Ch. Østby, Biter av lykke, Font

     Lisbeth krumper seg, kunne hun ikke latt være å herme klesdrakten på den måten?

     Lisbeth shrinks, couldn't she refrain from mimicking the costume in that manner?

2. to cite, refer to

Usage notes

This verb is often followed by the preposition etter

Synonyms

• (mimic): ape etter, etterligne
• (cite): sitere, referere til

Noun

herme f or m (definite singular herma or hermen, indefinite plural hermer, definite plural hermene)

1. proverb; something that often gets said
   • 1965, Thormod Skatvedt, Andreas Mørch, Sigdall og Eggedal, Grøndahl:

     «Du har biti meg, så ske je bite deg,» [sic] sa Kongsrud'n til lusa. Det blei ei herme her.

     "You have bitten, and therefore I will bite you," said Kongsrud'n to the louse. It became a proverb here.

Synonyms

• ordtak

Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek Ἑρμῆς (Hermês, “Hermes, the hellenic god of trade and commerce”).

Noun

herme m (definite singular hermen, indefinite plural hermer, definite plural hermene)

1. a herm, herma; a square statue with a head or upper body on top

References

“herme” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
“herme” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /her.me/, [²hæɾ.mə]

Etymology 1

Compare herma (“to mimic”).

Noun

herme f (definite singular herma, indefinite plural hermer, definite plural hermene)

1. proverb; something that often gets said
   • 1974, Ivar Grimstad, Kristen Johansen, Velsigne kjæften din, prest: vist og gale frå Sunnmøre, Samlaget:

     Meisterleg kjem dette fram i ei herme lenger sør på vestlandskysten.

     This comes forth excellently in a proverb further south on the coast of Western Norway.

Synonyms

• ordtak

Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek Ἑρμῆς (Hermês, “Hermes, the hellenic god of trade and commerce”).

Noun

herme m (definite singular hermen, indefinite plural hermar, definite plural hermane)

1. a herm, herma; a square statue with a head or upper body on top

Etymology 3

Verb

herme (imperative herm, present tense hermar or hermer, simple past herma or hermde, past participle herma or hermt)

1. e-infinitive form of herma

References

“herme” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.