Latvian edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Lithuanian žiglùs (quick, fast).[1]

Pronunciation edit

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Adjective edit

žigls (definite žiglais, comparative žiglāks, superlative visžiglākais, adverb žigli)

  1. fast, quick, swift, agile (capable of traveling long distances in a short amount of time)
    bet meiteni puisis meklēja žiglu kā piekrastes bezdelīgubut the young man was looking for a girl as quick as a coastal swallow
    celmu, stumbru caurumos slēpās žiglas caunas, jo te netrūka nedz putnu, nedz sīku dzīvnieku, kam tās uzglūnējain the holes in trees and stumps the quick, agile martens hid, because there was in that place no shortage of birds or small animals to ambush
    bet mākslinieka žiglais zīmulis fiksē dzīves īstenībubut the artist's quick, agile pencil fixed (= captured) the reality of life
    kā zelta spāres zibēja caur koku lapām pilsētas ugunis, viņai kājas bija kļuvušas mundras un žiglaslike golden dragonflies, the fires (= lights) of the city flashed through the tree leaves, (and) her legs had become lively and quick, agile
  2. fast, quick (which happens rapidly; which lasts a short time)
    iet žiglā gaitāto go at a quick pace
    Frančesko Skarlati gāja žiglā solī, laikiem negaidīti apstādamiesFrancesco Scarlatti in a quick step (= with quick steps), sometimes stopping unexpectedly
    aplaidusi žiglu skatienu vīriem, viņa droši devās pie pirmā stūrmaņacasting a quick glance at the men, she went toward the first mate

Declension edit

Synonyms edit

Derived terms edit

References edit

  1. ^ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “žigls”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN