drätsel

Swedish

Alternative forms

• dretsel (archaic)
• drätſel, draͤtſel (obsolete typography)

Etymology

Inherited from Old Swedish træsel, dræsel (“treasure”). First attested in 1560.

Noun

drätsel c

1. (obsolete) A treasure or treasury.

   Synonyms: kassa, skatt, skattkammare

2. (obsolete, by extension) A state's finances.

   Synonym: statskassa

   • 1750 May 26, Stockholms Weckoblad, page 2:

     I jemfoͤrelſe mot landets widd, aͤr Konungens draͤtſel ansenlig.

     Compared to the size of the country, the King's treasury is considerable.

3. (obsolete) Clipping of drätselkammare (“city treasury department”).
   • 1955, Lars Ahlin, Kvinna kvinna, page 92:

     Varje vår köper stadens drätsel två hästar för mudderverket.

     Every spring, the town's treasury buys two horses for the dredger.

Derived terms

• drätselkammare (“city treasury department”)
• drätselverk (“treasure authority”)

References

• drätsel in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• drätsel in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)
• Drätsel in Nordisk familjebok (1st ed., 1880)
• Drätsel in Project Runeberg