rune
/ruːn/noun
1- a letter of an ancient Germanic alphabet, related to the Roman alphabet如尼字母（一种与罗马字母有亲属关系的古日耳曼字母）。
1.1
- a similar mark of mysterious or magic significance（与如尼字母相似的）神秘符号, 魔力符号。
1.2
runes
small stones, pieces of bone, etc., bearing such marks, and used as divinatory symbols（用来占卜的）如尼文石块, 如尼文骨块：the casting of the runes.
（作占卜用的）如尼文石块的投掷。
1.3
- a spell or incantation符咒; 咒语。
1.4
- a section of the Kalevala or of an ancient Scandinavian poem芬兰民族史诗（或诗章）; 斯堪的纳维亚古诗。
Runes were used by Scandinavians and Anglo-Saxons from about the 3rd century. They were formed mainly by modifying Roman or Greek characters to suit carving, and were used both in writing and in divination.
短语
read the runes
- Brit. try to forecast the outcome of a situation by analysing all the significant factors involved〈英〉试图预测结果。
派生词
runic
adjective词源
Old English rūn 'a secret, mystery'; not recorded between Middle English and the late 17th cent., when it was reintroduced under the influence of Old Norse rúnir, rúnar 'magic signs, hidden lore'.