nikns
Latvian
Etymology
From an unattested verb *nikt, similar in meaning to the Lithuanian cognate (see below; compare also Latvian dialectal verb nikties (“to annoy, to disturb”)), formed with an extra -n (compare verb īgt, adjective īgns); *nikt is derived from Proto-Indo-European *nēyk-, *nik- (“to attack, to start quickly”), from Proto-Indo-European *ney- (“to be in motion, to be excited; to shine”). Cognates include Lithuanian nìkti (“to tackle, to get quickly (to work)”), Russian прони́кнуть (proníknutʹ, “to penetrate”).[1]
Adjective
nikns (definite niknais, comparative niknāks, superlative visniknākais, adverb nikni)
- (of animals) wild, furious, raging (having a propensity to attack)
- nikns gailis ― wild, angry rooster
- nikns bullis ― wild, raging bull
- nikni suņi klūp man virsū ― wild dogs pounced on me
- angry, furious, harsh
- ko tu šodien tik nikns? ― why are you so angry today?
- nikns sargs ― angry guard, watch
- “tā!” Janko kļuva arvien niknāks ― “that one!” Janko got angrier and angrier
- Rudmetu Vilis ir tik karsts un nikns... lai kur kāds runā, viņš tūdaļ pretī ar savu ― Rudmetu Vilis is so hot and wild... whenever someone talks, he immediately (goes) against him with his (ideas)
- angry, furious, ferocious
- nikns lauvas rēciens ― ferocious lion's roar
- niknas suņa rejas ― angry dog barks
- nikna atbilde ― angry answer
- nikns protests ― angry, furious protest
- katrs vārds ir pilns niknas spītības ― every word is full of angry spite
- (figuratively) angry, wild, raging (strong in its effects, dangerous, intense)
- nikna kauja ― wild, raging battle
- nikna apšaude ― furious gunfire
- nikna slimība ― unrelenting disease
- nikns sals ― raging, intense frost
- ārā plosās nikna novembra vētra ― outside a furious november storm was raging
Declension
indefinite declension (nenoteiktā galotne) of nikns
| masculine (vīriešu dzimte) | feminine (sieviešu dzimte) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| singular (vienskaitlis) | plural (daudzskaitlis) | singular (vienskaitlis) | plural (daudzskaitlis) | ||||||
| nominative (nominatīvs) | nikns | nikni | nikna | niknas | |||||
| accusative (akuzatīvs) | niknu | niknus | niknu | niknas | |||||
| genitive (ģenitīvs) | nikna | niknu | niknas | niknu | |||||
| dative (datīvs) | niknam | nikniem | niknai | niknām | |||||
| instrumental (instrumentālis) | niknu | nikniem | niknu | niknām | |||||
| locative (lokatīvs) | niknā | niknos | niknā | niknās | |||||
| vocative (vokatīvs) | — | — | — | — | |||||
Antonyms
- lēns
Derived terms
- niknums
References
- Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “nikns”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN