ciešs
Latvian
Etymology
From the same stem as Latvian ciets (“hard, solid”), from which it was a variant yo-stem: Proto-Indo-European *key- (“to set in motion, to move”) with a variant -tyo-s of an (adjectivizing) suffix -to-s > Proto-Baltic *keityas > *kietyas > ciešs. It is also possible that the adverbial form cieti of ciets first gave rise to a variant *cieši via palatalization, from which came the adjective ciešs. In some dialects, ciešs still means the same as ciets, but in the standard literary language they are semantically distinct.[1]
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [tsiɛ̂ʃ]
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Adjective
ciešs (definite ciešais, comparative ciešāks, superlative visciešākais, adverb cieši)
- dense, tight (with component parts that are linked or very close to each other)
- ciešs audums ― tight fabric, cloth
- cieša ziedkopa ― tight, dense inflorescence
- ciešs krāvums, tinums ― tight stacking, winding
- tight, close (with people standing close to each other)
- sastāties ciešā lokā ― to stand in a tight, close circle
- cieša kolonna ― tight, close column
- (figuratively) close, united
- ciešā saimē izcīnīsim cīņu ― as (lit. in) a close family we will win the fight
- (of clothes, ties, etc.) tight, close (strongly bound, tied)
- ciešs līmējums, mezgls ― tight bond, knot
- cieša apkaklīte ― tight collar
- (of movements) tight, strong, determined
- ciešs rokas spiediens ― tight handshake
- cieši sakost zobus ― to clech one's teeth tight
- (of relations) tight, close, strong
- cieša sadarbība ― close cooperation
- ciešas saites ar kolektīvu ― close ties with the team
- uzturēt ciešus sakarus ar draudzīgām zemēm ― to maintain close contact, relations with friendly countries
- (of thoughts, ideas, promises) tight, strong, rigid, unalterable
- cieša parliecība, ticība, noruna ― strong belief, faith, agreement
- ciešs solījums ― solemn promise
- (of sleep) tight, deep
- viņš gan naktī neesot nekā dzirdējis, gulējis ciešu miegu ― he had heard nothing during the night, (he) slept a tight sleep
- (of looks) tight, hard, attentive, concentrated
- Frickalna pelēkajām acīm arvien bija ciešs skatiens, it kā viņš pētītu to, ko sarunu biedrs nepasaka ― Frickalns' gray eyes had a tight, concentrated look, as if he were studying what his conversation partner did not say
- (adverbial form; of people, objects) tightly close, very near (syn. ciets)
- pienākt cieši klāt ― to come very close
- sēdēt cieši kopā ― to sit close together
Declension
indefinite declension (nenoteiktā galotne) of ciešs
masculine (vīriešu dzimte) | feminine (sieviešu dzimte) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
singular (vienskaitlis) | plural (daudzskaitlis) | singular (vienskaitlis) | plural (daudzskaitlis) | ||||||
nominative (nominatīvs) | ciešs | cieši | cieša | ciešas | |||||
accusative (akuzatīvs) | ciešu | ciešus | ciešu | ciešas | |||||
genitive (ģenitīvs) | cieša | ciešu | ciešas | ciešu | |||||
dative (datīvs) | ciešam | ciešiem | ciešai | ciešām | |||||
instrumental (instrumentālis) | ciešu | ciešiem | ciešu | ciešām | |||||
locative (lokatīvs) | ciešā | ciešos | ciešā | ciešās | |||||
vocative (vokatīvs) | — | — | — | — | |||||
Synonyms
- (of "with parts very close to each other"): blīvs
- (of "sleep"; "close by"; "strong (movement)"; "concentrated (look)"): ciets
Antonyms
- (of clothes, ties): brīvs
References
- Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “ciets”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN