modrs

Latvian

Etymology

From the same stem as verb most (to wake up) (< *muod-ti), with an extra -r: *muod-ra-s > modrs. A parallel form without the -r yielded možs (q.v.). In the 17th century, modrs had the meaning of “wise, intelligent”, now gudrs; the current meaning became dominant in the 18th century. Ultimately from Proto-Balto-Slavic *mandras, from Proto-Indo-European *men(s)dʰh₁- (wisdom). Cognates include Lithuanian mañdras, mandrùs (vigilant, alert; smart, wise, cunning; proud, arrogant), Old Church Slavonic мѫдръ (mǫdrŭ, wise), Russian му́дрый (múdryj), Bulgarian мъ́дър (mǎ́dǎr), Czech moudrý, Polish mądry, Old High German muntar (quick, lively, alert), German munter (lively, cheerful, awake)[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [muôdɾs]
(file)

Adjective

modrs (definite modrais, comparative modrāks, superlative vismodrākais, adverb modri)

  1. vigilant, watchful, alert (who carefully, without interruptions, observes or watches over something; expressing this behavior)
    modrs naktssargsvigilant night watchman
    modrs medniekswatchful, alert hunter
    modras aciswatchful eyes
    mums vienmēr jābūt modriem, lai ienaidnieks nekad mūs nevarētu pārsteigtwe must always be vigilant, so that the enemy will never be able to surprise us
    Maija stāvēja modra kā stirna, kas, saklausījusi biezoknī brīkšķi, sasprindzina dzirdi, lai samanītu, kas tur irMaija stood alert like a deer who, having heard something snap in the bushes, turns its ears, trying to find out who is there
    suns pašreiz mierīgi tupēja un vēroja gūstekni, bet, tikko viņš gribēja pagrozīties, modrais sargs iekaucāsthe dog sat quietly and watched over the prisoner, but, as soon as he wanted to move, the watchful guard (dog) began to howl
  2. active, busy, lively
    viņa bija modra, šaudījās no viena pagalma stūra otrā... un izrīkoja katru, kas pagadījās ceļāshe was active, busy, she rushed from one corner of the courtyard to the other and put to work everyone who happened to be on (her) way
    kaut mana dvēsele būtu mūžīgi modra kā strauts!if only my soul were always active, lively like a stream!
    kaut gan sešdesmit gadu jau aizlaisti pār galvu, viņa vēl vienmēr ir cēla un stalta, ar modrām, tumšzilām acīm, kuras vecums nav paspējis saduļķotalthough sixty years have already passed over (her) head, she is still always proud and tall, with active, lively dark blue eyes that age has not been able to muddy

Declension

Synonyms

Derived terms

References

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