Russian

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Inherited from Old East Slavic брѣзгати (brězgati), from Proto-Slavic *brězgati. Cognate with Ukrainian бре́зкати (brézkaty, to disdain, to be disgusted), also бре́згати (brézhaty). Proto-Slavic verb derived from Proto-Slavic *brězgъ (compare Czech břesk (tart taste), Polish brzazg (tart taste), dialectal Ukrainian бреск (bresk, dampness, mold)), probably cognate with Norwegian brisk (bitter taste), brisken (bitter, tart).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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бре́згать (brézgatʹimpf (perfective побре́згать)

  1. to be fastidious/squeamish (about)
    Он бре́згает пить из чужо́го стака́на.
    On brézgajet pitʹ iz čužóvo stakána.
    He is squeamish about drinking out of someone else's glass. / It disgusts him to drink out of someone else's glass.
  2. to disdain, to shrink (from) (usually negative)
    Он не бре́згает никаки́ми сре́дствами.
    On ne brézgajet nikakími srédstvami.
    He does not scruple/disdain to use any means; he is not squeamish/fastidious about any means he uses.

Conjugation

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Derived terms

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