Latvian edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Baltic *gleb-, *glab-, *glāb-, from Proto-Indo-European *gelb(ʰ)-, *gleb(ʰ)- (to squeeze while holding), from *gel- (to roll up together, into a ball; round object) with an extra b(ʰ). The semantic evolution was: “to grab, hold in one's hands” > “to keep, to protect (in one's hands)” > “to save (from danger, death).” Cognates include Lithuanian glóbti (to hug, to embrace; to take, to grab for oneself; to cover, to wrap; to save, to help), Old Prussian galbimai (help) (dative), poglabū (he cuddled, hugged), apglobte (little crown sewn with white cloths which young women put on when they had a haircut), Polish głobić (to put a rim on (e.g., a barrel); to squeeze together).[1]

Pronunciation edit

(file)

Verb edit

glābt (transitive, 1st conjugation, present glābju, glāb, glābj, past glābu)

  1. to save (to act so as to prevent (someone's) death; to protect (someone) from death)
    glābt slīkstošoto save a drowning (person)
    glābt slimo bērnuto save a sick child
    glābt dzīvībuto save (someone's) life
    ievainotais nav vairs glābjamsthe injured (person) can no longer be saved
    Silis saprata, ka viņam nav lemts glābt dēluSilis understood that he was not destined to save (his) son
  2. to save (to cure, to restore to a normal state)
    ārsti mēģināja glābt rokuthe doctors tried to save (the patient's) hand
  3. to save (to prevent harm to something)
    bet mans kuģis? kas jūs pamudināja glābt arī to?and (what about) my ship? who will encourage you to save it, too?
    uguns bija ierobežota, sils glābtsthe fire was contained, the pine forest (was) saved
  4. to save (to take action to protect from misfortune, disasters, accidents, etc.; to protect from some unwanted situation, problem)
    glābt dzimtenito save (one's) homeland
    glābt no verdzībasto save (someone) from slavery
    glābt no rājienato save (someone) from a scolding, a reprimand
    ja neglābšu tautu, brāļus no gūsta...if I don't save the people, (my) brothers, from captivity...
    Padomju vara atbrīvoja Čukču pussalas tautas,... glāba no izmiršanasthe Soviets freed the people of the Chukchi peninsula... (and) saved (them) from extinction
  5. to save (to take action to conserve one's honor, fame, reputation, etc.; to avoid dishonor, disgrace, etc.)
    glābt savu labo vārduto save one's good name
    labi, ka vēl ir viena tikumīga meita pasaulē, kas glābj pagasta godugood that there still is one virtuous girl in the world that will save the honor of the parish
  6. (figuratively) to save (to protect from something unwanted, undesirable)
    “tie mūs no lietus neglābs”, Ģirts lūkojās bērzos“those won't save us from the rain,” Ģirts looked at the birch trees

Conjugation edit

Derived terms edit

prefixed verbs:
other derived terms:

Related terms edit

References edit

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