vājš

(dialectal form) vājs

From Proto-Indo-European *wāy-, *way- (“weak”), perhaps derived from *h₂weh₁- (“to blow”). Initially there were u- and o-stem forms (compare Lithuanian dialectal vójus (“weak, sick”), Latvian dialectal vājs); ultimately replaced by a yu-stem variant, yielding standard language vājš. On the meaning change, compare pūst, both “to move, advance with the wind blowing” and “to moan, to complain.” Cognates include Sanskrit वायति (vā́jati, “to wane, to disappear, to die; to blow”) (also वाति (vā́ti, “to blow”)).[1]

• IPA^(key): [vâːjʃ]

vājš (definite vājais, comparative vājāks, superlative visvājākais, adverb vāji)

1. (of people, animals) weak (not having well developed muscles)

   vājš bērns ― weak child

   vājais dzimums ― the weak sex (i.e., women)

   vājš suns ― weak dog

   askētiski vāja seja ― ascetically weak face

   nekad neesmu redzējusi tik vāju cilvēku ― I have never seen such a weak person

2. (of bodies, body parts) weak, poor (which works badly, has little or no strength)

   vājas plaušas ― weak lungs

   vāja muskulatūra ― weak muscles

   vājas ausis ― weak ears (i.e., bad hearing)

   vāja asinsrite ― weak, poor blood circulation

   vāja elpa ― weak, poor breath(ing)

   vāja veselība ― weak, poor health

   garā vājš ― weak in the spirit (i.e., mentally ill)

3. (of people, their personality) weak (without courage, without strength in a difficult situation; vulnerable to negative influences, temptation, etc.)

   vājš raksturs ― weak character

   pašnāvība ir vāju cilvēku aizsarglīdzeklis ― suicide is the defense of weak people

   viņas ir vājas un iespaidojamas ― they (children) are weak and impressionable

   vājais, kā mani tavs vājums žņaudz! ― weak one, your weakness is strangling me!

   ak, mana sirds!... vai tu tik vāja? vai tu nespēj nīst? ― oh, my heart!... are you so weak? can't you hate?

4. (of people) weak (not sufficiently qualified, not really good, skilled in his/her work, bad at fulfilling his/her duties)

   vājš darbinieks jāatlaiž, lai nedemoralizētu pārējos ― weak employees must be fired, so as not to demoralize the others

   vīrieši jau vispār ir vāji psihologi, sevišķi sievietes pishes saprašanā ― men are in general weak psychologists, particularly in understanding the psyche of women

5. (of machiness, engines) weak, poor (having little power)

   vājš motors, agregāts ― weak, poor motor, unit

6. (of natural phenomena, light, sounds) weak, mild, dim (having low intensity)

   vājš vējš ― weak wind

   vājas zemestrīces ― weak, mild earthquakes

   vājš blāzmas atspulgs ― weak, dim glow (lit. glow reflection)

   vāja atbalss ― weak echo

7. (of states, conditions) weak, poor (not good, not sufficient, less than normal, ideal)

   vāja pretestība ― weak resistance

   miglā redzamība vāja ― in the fog the visibility (is) weak, poor

   zālē vāja dzirdamība ― in the hall there is weak, poor audibility

8. (of solutions, infusions, beverages) weak (having low concentration, low degree of ionization, low alcohol content)

   vāja vērmeļu tēja ― weak wormwood tea

   vāja skābe ― weak acid

   vājš vīns ― weak wine

9. (of works, performances) weak, poor (not satisfactory, showing low quality)

   vājš romāns, koncerts, dziedājums ― weak novel, concert, singing

   vājš kompozīcija, lekcija ― weak composition, lecture

   vāja izrāde, izstāde ― weak, poor performance, show

   vāja darba organizācija ― poor work organization

   vāja disciplīna ― weak discipline

10. (of political, social and economic institutions) weak (ineffective, underdeveloped, having low power)

    vāja armija ― weak army

    vāja uzņēmums ― weak enterprise, company, business

11. (of soil, harvest) weak, poor (having low quality, low yield)

    vāja zeme, raža ― weak soil, harvest

12. (of food) poor (not rich, not caloric)

    kareivju ēdiens kļuva pavisam vājš; maizes vietā izsniedza sausiņus ― the soldiers' food became very weak; instead of bread, they were given crackers

13. (figuratively, of feelings, mental activities) weak, poor (insufficient, unsatisfactory)

    dot slimniekam vājas cerības ― to give the patient poor expectations

    vājš mierinājums ― weak, poor consolation

• (colloquial) jēls, švaks

• stiprs
• spēcīgs

• pavājš
• vājdzirdīgs, vājdzirdīgums, vājdzirdība
• vājība
• vājprātīgs, vājprātīgums, vājprātība
• vājredzīgs, vājredzīgums, vājredzība
• vājums