dakša

See also: dakšā

Latvian

Dakšas (1)

Velosipēda dakša (2)

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *daš-, with a suffix -kā and š-k metathesis (compare also dialectal daška; there are also dialectal forms like dasti with a suffix -to instead of -kā), from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ (“to pluck, sever, split”). Cognates include Norwegian tagge, German Zacke (“spike”), Middle Low German tagge, Dutch tak (“branch”), English tack.

Pronunciation

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Noun

dakša f (4th declension)

1. (usually in the plural) fork, pitchfork (pronged tool with a long straight handle used for lifting, throwing (especially hay))

   dakšu kāts ― fork shaft

   uzdurt salmu klēpi uz dakšām ― to stick a fork into the straw

   izcelt kartupeļus ar dakšām ― to dig out potatoes with a fork

   divzaru, trīszaru, četrzaru dakšas ― two-, three-, four-pronged fork

   divžuburu, trīsžuburu, četržuburu dakšas ― two-, three-, four-pronged fork

   siena, mēslu, dārza, kartupeļu dakšas ― hay, manure, garden, potato fork

2. (usually in the singular) part of a machine composed of two parallel branches

   velosipēda dakša ― bicycle fork

   motocikla priekšējā dakša ― front motorcycle fork

Usage notes

In the “pitchfork” sense, the plural form dakšas is more frequently used than the singular form dakša, though the latter is still attested.

Declension

Declension of dakša (4th declension)

	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	dakša	dakšas
accusative (akuzatīvs)	dakšu	dakšas
genitive (ģenitīvs)	dakšas	dakšu
dative (datīvs)	dakšai	dakšām
instrumental (instrumentālis)	dakšu	dakšām
locative (lokatīvs)	dakšā	dakšās
vocative (vokatīvs)	dakša	dakšas

Derived terms

• dakšiņa