sviregast

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

svire +‎ gast, first part from Middle Low German swīren (“whirl, swarm”). Last part from Dutch or Low German gast (“guest”), from Old Dutch *gast, from Proto-Germanic *gastiz (“stranger, guest”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstis (“stranger, host, guest”), possibly from *gʰes- (“to eat”) +‎ *-tis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsʋiːrəɡast/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ast
• Hyphenation: svi‧re‧gast

Noun

sviregast m (definite singular sviregasten, indefinite plural sviregaster, definite plural sviregastene)

1. (obsolete) drunkard, a person who is constantly out drinking (alcohol)
   • 1928, Erik Lie, Erindringer fra et dikterhjem, page 18:

     hun hadde mange bekjente blandt de verste drukkendolter og sviregaster

     she had many acquaintances among the worst drunks and drunkards

   • 1852, Henrik Wergeland, Samlede Skrifter I, page 286:
   • (Can we date this quote?), Amalie Skram, Samlede Værker II, page 395:

Related terms

• rangel (“being drunk, going drinking”), svir (“being drunk”), svirebror (“drinking buddy”)

References

• “sviregast” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).