favn

Danish

Etymology

From Old Norse faðmr.

Noun

favn

1. arms, embrace

   at falde i søvn i nogens favn

   to fall asleep in someone's arms

2. (nautical) unit of length
3. armload

Declension

Declension of favn

common gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	favn	favnen	favne	favnene
genitive	favns	favnens	favnes	favnenes

Norwegian Bokmål

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /faʋn/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aʋn
• Hyphenation: favn

Etymology 1

From Old Norse faðmr (“embrace, fathom”), from Proto-Germanic *faþmaz (“outstretched arms; embrace, fathom”), from Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- (“to spread out, fly”).

Noun

favn m (definite singular favnen, indefinite plural favner, definite plural favnene)

1. an embrace; outstretched arms (grip formed in space between the chest and more or less outstretched arms)
   • 1885, Henrik Ibsen, Brand, page 262:

     Brand, vær mild, min favn er varm

     Fire, be gentle, my arms are warm

   • 1907, Bernt Lie, Mot Overmagt, page 36:

     vi må gjøre Herren vor Gud og Frelserens favn aapen og … vid

     we must make the Lord our God and the Savior's embrace open and ... wide

   • 1907, Bernt Lie, Mot Overmagt, page 235:

     [han] glemte sin dødens angst og sin sjælevaande i hendes favn

     [he] forgot his anguish of death and his soul-spirit in her embrace

   • 1920, Sigrid Undset, Kransen, page 174:

     hun [syntes] det var som at ha et barn i favnen

     she [thought] it was like having a child in her arms

   • 2004, Kim Småge, Dobbeltmann:

     å komme hjem … og gå rett inn i ei favn

     to come home… and walk straight into an embrace

   • 1885, Henrik Ibsen, Brand, page 269:

     Jesus, jeg har råbt dit navn, aldrig tog du mig i favn

     Jesus, I have called your name, you never took me in your arms

   • 1999, Kim Småge, Koksbiter og trollsplint:

     faren tar Lydia i favn, bysser henne, trøster

     her father takes Lydia in her arms, kisses her, comforts her

   ta i (sin) favn

   to embrace

   ha favnen full av blomster

   have your arms full of flowers

   1. (literary, euphemistic) an embrace; intercourse (sexual intercourse involving humans)

      hvile i sin elskedes favn ― rest in the arms of one's beloved

      Synonym: favntak

2. (literary) something that envelops, receives like an embrace
   • 1852, Henrik Wergeland, Samlede Skrifter II, page 198:

     vi nærmere i dalens favn os føle Norges hjerte

     we closer in the embrace of the valley we feel the heart of Norway

   • 1943, Johan Sebastian Welhaven, Samlede Digterverker I, page 181:

     og thinget – o, jeg bøier mig ved synet: … en sum af goder slutter det i favnet

     and the thing - oh, I bow at the sight:… a sum of goods ends it in the arms

   • 1909, Henrik Ibsen, Efterladte Skrifter I, page 196:

     [snekken bar] rigdom i sin favn

     [the snail carried] wealth in his arms

   • 2001, Hans Herbjørnsrud, Vi vet så mye:

     vindkastene tok huset i favn etter favn så det knistret som når en slår armene hardt om en vidjekorg

     the gusts of wind took the house in arms after arms so it crackled like when you wrap your arms hard around a wicker basket

3. (nautical) a fathom (unit of length for water depth notionally based upon the width of grown man's outstretched arms but standardized as 6 feet (about 1.8 m))

   ankre på 6 favner vann, 6 favners dyp ― anchors at 6 fathoms of water, 6 fathoms deep

   30 favner (anker)kjetting ― 30 fathoms (anchor) chain

   noen sildegarn og 60 favner line ― some herring nets and 60 fathoms line

4. (Units of measure) a unit of mass measurement for firewood (equal to 2×2 meters with a length of 0.6 meters, originally 6×6 feet with a length of 1 cubit)
   • 2011, Lars Mytting, Hel ved, page 103:

     med 60 cm vedlengde skal en favn være 1 meter høy og 4 meter lang

     with a length of 60 cm, a favn should be 1 meter high and 4 meters long

   Coordinate terms: meterfavn, storfavn

Etymology 2

From the verb favne (“to embrace”), from Old Norse faðma.

Noun

favn n (definite singular favnet, indefinite plural favn, definite plural favna or favnene)

1. (poetic, rare) an embrace; intercourse

   Synonym: favntak

   • 1907, Johan Sebastian Welhaven, Samlede Digterverker II, page 118:

     hans arm var udrakt, villig til et favn

     his arm was outstretched, willing to an embrace

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

favn

1. imperative of favne

References

• “favn” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “favn_1” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).
• “favn_2” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).
• “favn” in Store norske leksikon
• “favn (unit of measure)” in Store norske leksikon