festr
nafnorðkvenkyn
(mod. festi), f., dat. and acc. festi, gen. festar, pl. festar
I. prop. that by which a thing is fastened, a rope, cord, Grett. ch. 68, 69, vide Guðm. S. ch. 54, Bs. ii. 111, Fms. ix. 3, 219, Eg. 324, Sks. 419, Ísl. ii. 49:—the cable to moor a ship to the shore, Eg. 195, Jb. 314, 319, Grág. ii. 354; cp. skut-festar, land-f., stafn-f., bjarg-f.:—a trap (rare), Hrafn. 27.
COMPDS: festarauga, festargarmr, festarhald, festarhæll, festarlauss, festarstúfr, festarvörðr.
II. metaph. and as a law phrase, bail; festar-penningr, m. a pledge, bail, Fms. x. 199, Stj. Gen. xxxviii. 17, Fas. iii. 548.
III. esp. in pl. festar, betrothals; respecting this matter see the first eight chapters of the Festa-þáttr, in Grág. i. 305–319, and the Sagas passim, Ld. ch. 9, 23, 34, 43, 68, Nj. ch. 9, 13, 33, Gunnl. S. ch. 4, Band. 3, Lv. ch. 12, Hænsa Þ. ch. 11, Harð. S. ch. 3, Sturl. passim; festar fara fram, the betrothal is performed, Fb. ii. 196, Ld. 92, 186; sitja í festum is said of a bride between betrothal and wedding, Nj. 4.
COMPDS: festarfé, festargjöf, festargull, festarkona, festarmaðr, festarmál, festarmær, festarorð, festarváttr, festaröl, festaváttorð, Festaþáttr.