‖ surturbrand
(ˈsɜːtɜːbrænd)
Also 8 erron. sutur-, sortebrand.
[a. G. surturbrand, ad. Icel. surtarbrandr, f. Surtar, gen. of Surtr (related to svartr swart a.) name of a fire-giant + brandr brand n.]
A name for lignite as occurring in Iceland.
| 1760 Milles in Phil. Trans. LI. 545 An extraordinary sort of wood, which they call sortebrand, or black brand. 1780 Von Troil Iceland 42, I have seen tea-cups, plates, &c. in Copenhagen made of suturbrand, which takes a fine polish. 1804 Phil. Trans. XCIV. 397 The Bovey coal is found in strata, corresponding in almost every particular with those of the surturbrand in Iceland. 1863 Baring-Gould Iceland p. xxiv, The alternation of basalt and surturbrand. |