dejot

Latvian

Etymology

Originally the iterative counterpart of diet (“to dance”), present stem dej- (q.v.).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Verb

dejot (transitive or intransitive, 2nd conjugation, present dejoju, dejo, dejo, past dejoju)

1. (intransitive) to dance (to move rhythmically, usually following music)

   viegli dejot ― to dance lightly, easily

   aizrautīgi dejot ― to dance enthusiastically

   dejojot aizmirsties ― to forget oneself dancing

   Vizma ar Gunāru dejoja vienā pārī ― Vizma and Gunārs danced as one couple

2. (transitive) to dance (a specific dance)

   dejot valsi ― to dance the waltz

   dejot tautas dejas ― to dance a folk dance

   dejot spāņu deju ― to dance a Spanish dance

   viņa brīnišķīgi dejo krievu dejas ― she dances Russian dances wonderfully

3. (transitive) to play a part in a ballet

   viņa dejos Odetu un Odīliju P. Čaikovska baletā “Gulbju ezers” ― she will play (lit. dance) Odeta and Odīlija in P. Čaikovskis' ballet “Swan Lake”

4. (figuratively, of animals, fire, etc.) to dance (to move playfully, rhythmically, frenetically, etc.)

   otrā krastmalā dejo balts sermulītis ― on the other bank a little white stoat danced (= jumped around playfully)

   kļuva dzirdama virs puķu dobes dejojoša odu bara sīkšana ― the whizzing of a dancing swarm of mosquitos became audible over the flower beds

   rotaļīgas ēnas sāka dejot tumšajā laukumā ― playful shadows started dancing in the dark area

   pretī mājai uguns, liesmas dejoja un locījas līdzi gaisa plūsmām ― opposite the house (was) the fire, the flames danced and bent with the air currents

5. to dance (to work in, to be a part of, a dance group)

   dejot baletā, koncertā ― to dance in the ballet, in the concert

   dejot pašdarbības ansamblī ― to dance in an amateur group

   māksliniece dejo operas un baleta teatrī ― the artist dances in the opera and ballet theater

Usage notes

In modern usage, dejot is the normal term for “to dance,” while diet often sounds old-fashioned or poetic in this sense, or then has the specific meaning of “to dance for joy.”

Conjugation

Synonyms

• diet
• (dated) dancot

Derived terms

prefixed verbs:

other derived terms:

• dejotājs, dejotāja

Related terms

• deja

References