zīst

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See also: zist

Latvian

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Etymology

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The traditional approach derives this word from an earlier *žinsti, from Proto-Baltic *žind-ti, from *žind-, from the reduced form *ǵendʰ, *ǵ(e)ndʰ- of Proto-Indo-European *ǵenədʰ- (jaw, chin), whence also Latvian zods (chin), Lithuanian žándas (chin, jaw, cheek). In this case, the original meaning would have been related to “cheek, jaw,” from which “to suckle.” A more recent theory suggests a connection between zīst and Ancient Greek νεογιλλός (neogillós, newborn; young, new) (< *neo-gid-los), both presumably from Proto-Indo-European *ǵeid- (to suckle). In either case, cognates include Lithuanian žįsti.[1]

Pronunciation

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Verb

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zīst (transitive or intransitive, 1st conjugation, present zīžu, zīd, zīž, past zīdu)

  1. to suck, to suckle (to press a female nipple with one's lips and tongue, so that it produces milk; to drink the milk so produced)
    zīst mātito suckle (one's) mother (i.e., to suckle milk from one's mother's breast)
    bērns zīž krūtithe child suckles the breast
    kaķēns vēl nezīžthe kitten doesn't suckle yet
    jēri metas zīstthe lambs rushed to suckle
    trīs mazi ezēni zīda māti, sagulušies rindā kā sivēnithree little hedgehogs suckled (their) mother, lying in a row like piglets
  2. to suck, to suckle (to take something into one's mouth and make sucking movements)
    zīst ķepu, pirkstuto suck(le) (one's) paw, finger
    bērni visbiežāk zīž pirkstus pirms iemigšanas un pēc pamošanāschildren most often suck (their) fingers before sleep or after waking up
  3. (colloquial) to smoke (a pipe, a cigarette, etc.) slowly
    pēdējo smēķa galiņu zīzdams, Klucis noskatīja daudz neveiklāko Modrisucking the last tip of (his) cigarette, Klucis looked at the much clumsier Modris

Conjugation

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Synonyms

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Derived terms

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prefixed verbs:
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Verb

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zīst

  1. third-person singular/plural present indicative of zīt
  2. (with the particle lai) third-person singular imperative of zīt
  3. (with the particle lai) third-person plural imperative of zīt

References

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