Latvian edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Baltic *gel-, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷel-, *gʷelH- (to stab, to pierce; stabbing pain), apparently a variant of *kel- (to pierce, to stab) and related to *kel- (to hit, to chop) (whence Latvian kalt (to forge, to chisel)) and *(s)kelH- (to cut) (whence Latvian šķelt (to split)). Cognates include Lithuanian gélti, Old Church Slavonic жела (žela), желꙗ (želja, grief, sorrow, wailing), Russian жаль (žalʹ, a pity; (dial.) compassion, grief), жа́ло (žálo, sting, stinger) (< Proto-Slavic *žędlo < *gendlo, Serbo-Croatian zelena (green), Serbo-Croatian žal (grief, sorrow), Serbo-Croatian žalac (stinger), *geldlo), dialectal жила́ть (žilátʹ, to bite (especially insects)), Bulgarian жал (žal, grief, sorrow), жило (žilo, sting, stinger), Czech žal (grief, sorrow), Old High German quāla (torment, suffering), German Qual, Ancient Greek βελόνη (belónē, needle) (< *gʷel-), Hittite [script needed] (gulš-, to incise, to carve).[1]

Pronunciation edit

  This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

Verb edit

dzelt (transitive or intransitive, 1st conjugation, present dzeļu, dzel, dzeļ, past dzēlu)

  1. (usually 3rd person, of insects) to sting (to stab with a stinger)
    bites, lapsenes, odi dzeļbees, wasps, mosquitoes sting
    lapsene dzeļ pirkstāthe wasp stings the finger (lit. in the finger)
    skorpioni nekož, bet dzeļ ar dzeloni, kas atrodas ķermeņa astes galāscorpions don't bite, they sting with a stinger placed at the end of their body
    tā kā viņš nebaidījās no bitēm, tad bites viņu arī nedzēlasince he wasn't afraid of bees, the bees also didn't sting him
  2. (usually 3rd person, of sharp, pointed objects) to sting (to cause pain, to hurt, to harm)
    dzeļ vācu zirgiem sānos piešithe side spurs stung the German horses
    Maldavs tikai pūta un elsa, it kā ādas pātagas dzeltu viņa paša muguruMaldvas only panted and gasped, as if the leather whip had stung his own back
    var ienaidnieka lodes nežēlīgi dzeltenemy bullets can sting so cruelly
  3. (usually 3rd person, of plants) to sting (to cause pain, skin redness, or to hurt with a stinger or some needle-like growth)
    nātres dzeļ rokāsnettles sting the hand (lit. in the hand, arm)
    nedzel mani tu, nātrītedon't sting me, little nettles
    lokanie zari sitās sejā, un skuju adatas sāpīgi dzēla vaigosflexible branches hit the face, and pine needles painfully stung the cheeks (lit. in the cheeks)
    kā nātres vārdi dzeļlike nettles, words (can) sting
  4. (usually 3rd person, of wind, frost, heat, etc.) to sting (to cause a sore, burning sensation)
    asāk sejās dzeļ vējšthe wind is stinging more sharply in the face
    Ilmeņa vēji dzeļ sejuthe wind of Ilmenis stings the face
    kodīgs sals dzēla sejā un locekļosthe corrosive frost stung in the face and limbs
    aukstums dzeļ vaigus un zoduthe cold stings the cheeks and chin
    Staļingrada! tava uguns dvaša tūkstoš jūdzēm tālu sejā dzeļStalingrad! your fiery breath stings in the face (even) a thousand miles away
  5. (usually 3rd person, of lights, colors) to sting (to cause a feeling of irritation or of agitation)
    sarkanas lentītes vien spīd; tā dzeļ, tā dzeļ acīsthe little red ribbons just shine; they sting, they sting in the eyes
    brūna krāsa ir silta, ne tā kā zilā; dzeļ un stindzina ar ledus vēsumuthe brown color is cold, not like the green (color); it stings and numbs with icy coolness
  6. (all persons) to sting (to cause unpleasant feelings with words or behavior, to offend)
    “nemēro visus pie sevis!” Mirdzai gribējās dzelt šim lielīgajam puisim“don't measure everyone by yourself (= by your standards)!” Mirdzai wanted to sting this swaggering young man
    īsais teiciens recenzijā dzēla vairāk, nekā to būtu darījis plašs apcerējumsa short sentence in the review stung more than an extensive treatise would
    viņas asā, žultainā mēle spēja dzelt daudz sāpīgāk nekā rīkstes cirtiensher sharp, bitter tonge was able to sting much more painfully than
    veltīgas skumjas un veltīgas sāpes vairs neiesprēj dzeltfutile sadness and futile pain can no longer sting
    mātes ļaunums un naids dzeļ daudz sāpīgāk par svešnieka nievāmthe mother's evil and hatred stings much more painfully than the scorn of strangers
  7. (of looks, eyes) to sting (to express a negative attitude, to offend, to upset)
    viņa runāja asi, un viņas acis dzēlashe spoke sharply, and her eyes were stinging
    niknām acīm viņa dzēla pie galda sēdošos valdes vīruswith wild, angry eyes she stung the men of the Board, sitting at the table

Conjugation edit

Synonyms edit

Derived terms edit

prefixed verbs:
other derived terms:

References edit

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