As part of my study of Old Norse, I figured that going through some texts and trying to translate them would be beneficial. I've found it quite enlightening. However, there are the occasional words that I cannot find the translation of, no matter how hard I try. I realize that umlaut/transformation has a lot to do with my problem, but even when I account for that (or, rather, think that I have accounted for that), I still cannot find anything that'll bring me any closer to the meaning of the word.
This brings me to my question: What do you do? Surely you've much more experience, and thus have come upon a similar quandary in times passed. Do you give up? Skip the word? I've spent an hour - or more - on a single word at times. 'óhægenda', from Yngvars saga Víðörla, has been the most infuriating; I've managed to figure out closely enough the translation of 'átti' (something to do with being married?), though I'm still having trouble with it. However, I must make it clear that I do not want the translation of those words (!!!) I want to do it on my own - I'll never learn if I'm spoonfed the answers - but would desperately like some strategies so that I may do so successfully.