þurðum

þurðum is an Old Norse word with the primary meaning of "thirst" or "dryness." It appears in various Old Norse texts, often in descriptions of arid conditions, lack of water, or a metaphorical sense of longing. The word can be inflected to denote different grammatical cases and numbers, reflecting its usage within Old Norse sentence structures. Etymologically, þurðum is related to similar words in other Germanic languages that also signify dryness or thirst. For instance, its cognates can be found in modern English words like "thirst" and related terms in other Scandinavian languages. The concept of þurðum was important in the context of survival in ancient Norse societies, where access to water was crucial, and it also served as a potent metaphor in their poetry and sagas to convey emotional states or difficult circumstances.