Dictionary:gest

Nynorn

Etymology

From Old Norse gestr, from Proto-Germanic *gastiz.

Shetland use

An Etymological Dictionary of the Norn Language in Shetland (1928–1932)

Jakobsen, Jakob

gest [gɛst (ꬶɛst)], sb., 1) a guest. 2) half-burnt brand, standing right on its end, without any support, when the fire wastes away (Conn.: gɛst); this is considered as a foretelling of a guest’s arrival at the house; if, when touched with the fingers or tongs, the brand, “guest”, blazed up, then it was said: “dis [‘this’] is gaun [‘going’] to be a welcome g.”; in the opposite case, a disagreeable guest was expected: “dis is gaun to be a soor ane [‘sour one’]”. — O.N. gestr, m., a guest. In sense 2, gest is specially Norse (Norw.); cf. No. gjest, m., in sense of a pointed object (inter alia, a piece of burning wood in the fireplace) which, having slipped down, remains standing on end, foretelling the arrival of guests (R.).

Pronunciation

IPA:

Alternate Forms

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Noun

gest

1. guest

Inflection

nm.s.2	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	gest	gesten	gester	gesterne
Accusative	gest	gesten	gesti	gestena
Dative	gesti	gestenon	geston	gestonon
Genitive	gests	gestsens	gesta	gestana

Synonyms

(none known)