"Níðing"s had to be "scolded", i. e. they had to be shouted in their faces what they were in most derogatory terms, as "scolding" (Anglo-Saxon "scald", Norse "skald", Icelandic "skalda", OHG "scelta", Modern German "Schelte"; compare "scoff", Modern Dutch "schelden", Anglo-Saxon "scop", and flyting) was supposed to break the concealing "seiðr" spell and would thus force the fiend to give away its true nature.The actual meaning of the adjective "argr" or "ragr" "earg" was the nature or appearance of effeminacy, especially by obscene acts. "Argr" was the worst, most derogatory swearword of all known to the Norse language. According to Icelandic law, the accused was expected to kill the accuser at once.If the accused did not retort by violent attack, either right on the spot or by demanding "holmgang", yielding either the challenging accuser to take his words back or the accuser's death, he was hence proven to be a weak and cowardly "níðingr" by not retorting accordingly.