Find more facts and information on our topic page about
runes
rune
The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
|
2006
|
|
© The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 2006, originally published by Oxford University Press 2006. (Hide copyright information)
Copyright
rune a letter of an ancient Germanic alphabet, related to the Roman alphabet; the original runic alphabet dates from at least the 2nd or 3rd century, and was formed by modifying the letters of the Roman or Greek alphabet so as to facilitate cutting them upon wood or stone.
In Scandinavian mythology,
runes (supposedly won for humankind by
Odin) were also seen as having magical powers; in current British usage, the phrase
read the runes means to try to forecast the outcome of a situation by analysing all the significant factors involved.
The word comes from Old English
rūn ‘a secret, a mystery’, not recorded between Middle English and the late 17th century, when it was reintroduced under the influence of Old Norse
rúnir,
rúnar ‘magic signs, hidden lore’.
Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.
|
The Rune hunt.(Short story)
Magazine article from: Highlights for Children; 6/1/2009; ; 700+ words
; ...an alphabet made up of rune letters. Each rune had a meaning in mythology, and together runes spelled words. This alphabet...While they called each rune, Hildr fingered its sign...After that, Hildr pictured runes all the time. The shapes...
|
|
Runes: secrets, magic, and understanding.
Magazine article from: Calliope; 1/1/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...understood the meaning of the runes, he was released from the tree. In his rune-song, he says, Runes, a unique form of writing because...For a simple casting, three runes are pulled out of a bag. The first rune tells where the person has been...
|
|
Riding the Rune: putting the whip to Honda's wildest motorcycle, the 2004 Valkyrie Rune.(Rider Test)
Magazine article from: Rider; 10/1/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...muscle, Honda's goal with the Rune was to establish a successor...and sniffing--how does the Rune run and ride? As a limited...discriminating than usual about releasing Runes for testing. Rider was among...cylinder is the basis for the Rune's mill. Six individual 32mm...
|
|
Tir as Mars in the Old English Rune Poem. (Notes).
Magazine article from: ANQ; 1/1/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...letters are called "runes" in modern English and runstafas ("rune-staves" or "runic...thorn") names the TH rune, and so forth. Only...and Eolh-Secg name runes representing sounds...Because the names of the runes are actual words, each stanza of the Rune Poem describes a particular...
|
|
Old English Runes and Their Continental Background.
Magazine article from: Medium Aevum; 3/22/1993; ; 700+ words
; ...and concepts associated with runes and with this specific system...discussed are the names of the runes, the changing connotations of the word |rune', the myth of the invention of runic script, and the use of runes in manuscripts by mediaeval...
|
|
Honda Rune: intensity rules. (WIP).(motorcycle)
Magazine article from: Automotive Design & Production; 7/1/2003; ; 700+ words
; The new Honda Rune boulevard cruiser looks like a one-off...Marysville Motorcycle Plant (MMP) where the Rune is manufactured, says, "It's a muscle...management originally considered building the Rune off-line, to help ensure the flawless...
|
|
`Runes of the Heart': Dancers' journey: Former members of Martha Graham company create soulful work.(Arts)
Newspaper article from: The Washington Times; 3/9/1997; ; 700+ words
; ...Buglisi and Mr. Foreman, "Runes" grew out of some personal...they chose the symbol of the rune - the archaic script of the...focal point for the dance. "Runes of the Heart" could be interpreted...keeping with the symbol of the rune, the dance uses a primitive...
|
 "The Capital Times (Madison, WI)")
|
RUNE RULES HUMAN HEAD A WINNER IN PC GAMING DEBUT.(Tech)
Newspaper article from: The Capital Times (Madison, WI); 11/24/2000; ; 700+ words
; ...Dealers initially ordered 200,000 copies of Rune, Human Head's main product, and they...added. ``We're pretty excited.'' Rune features a comic book-style Viking superhero...What's especially gratifying about Rune's success, Gerritsen says, is that...
|
|
Rune Soldier Complete Collection.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Newspaper article from: Internet Bookwatch; 8/1/2008; 446 words
; Rune Soldier Complete Collection ADV Films 5750 Bintliff...advfilms.com DVD, $39.99, www.advfilms.com Rune Soldier Complete Collection brings together the complete 24-episode "Rune Soldier" fantasy-comedy anime television series...
|
|
Frozen music: Claesson Koivisto Rune Arkitektkontor crystallized plans for the Stockholm office of Sony Music Sweden.
Magazine article from: Interior Design; 5/15/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...type of business," Claesson Koivisto Rune Arkitektkontor principal Marten Claesson...Claesson and fellow principals Ola Rune and Eero Koivisto--a trio with rock...coincidentally, one of Claesson Koivisto Rune's many slogans is "Empty is not boring...
|
|
Runes
Encyclopedia entry from: Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology
...Ralph Blum has adapted runes for divination purposes...publications The Book of Runes (1984) and Rune Play (1985) are issued...Ralph. The Book of Runes. New York: St. Martin...x2014; — . Rune Play. New York: St...
|
|
runes
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
...Helleno-Italic writing. The runes were adapted to carving on wood...Christianity. From then on the use of runes was reviled as a pagan practice...well as inscriptions. The word rune is derived from an early Anglo...Brodeur, The Riddle of the Runes (1932, repr. 1973); R...
|
|
rune
Book article from: The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature
rune, a letter or character of the earliest...mysterious powers were associated with runes from the Anglo-Saxon period...employment in riddles, as in the Rune Poem , a 94-line piece illustrating the runes of the Anglo-Saxon Runic alphabet...
|
|
|
Kensington Rune Stone
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
Kensington Rune Stone much-disputed stone...Inscribed on the stone in runes is an account of a party of...Wahlgren, The Kensington Rune Stone: A Mystery Solved (1958...C. Blegen, The Kensington Rune Stone (1968).
|
|
RUNE
Book article from: Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language
RUNE. A character in an ancient script of 24 angular...and Britain, to write GERMANIC LANGUAGES . Runes, long regarded as magical, have been used...in charms, in fortunetelling ( casting the runes ), and as decorative motifs. Each has a...
|
