lau

English

Verb

lau (third-person singular simple present laus, present participle lauing, simple past and past participle laued)

1. (Polari) To place upon; to put down onto.

Aromanian

Alternative forms

• alau

Etymology

From Latin lavō. Compare Romanian la, lau.

Verb

lau first-singular present indicative (third-person singular present indicative la, past participle latã)

1. to wash
2. (reflexive, mi-lau) to wash oneself

Synonyms

• spel, aspel

Related terms

• lari/lare
• lat
• spel

See also

• ascaldu
• culimbisescu

Basque

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lau̯/,

• Audio

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Basque *lanu, from Latin plānum.

Adjective

lau (comparative lauago, superlative lauen, excessive lauegi)

1. flat, level
2. plain, simple

Declension

Adverb

lau (comparative lauago, superlative lauen, excessive lauegi)

1. simply

Noun

lau inan

1. plain (an open, grassy, mostly treeless land)

Declension

Etymology 2

From Proto-Basque *lauR (“four”). Often compared with Iberian lau(r) (“four”) and Aquitanian *laur-, present in numerous compounds, such as *laurco, *laurina and in the toponym *Laureiereta (“Four Mills”). Possibly related to labur.

Numeral

lau

1. four

Usage notes

The declension of the plural forms changes when used as a pronoun. This is not currently reflected in the table below.

Declension

References

Further reading

• "lau" in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia , euskaltzaindia.eus
• “lau” in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia , euskaltzaindia.eus

Esperanto

Preposition

lau

1. H-system spelling of laŭ

German

Etymology

From Middle High German lā (inflected lāwe), from Old High German lāo. Cognate with Dutch lauw. Also related with English lukewarm.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /laʊ̯/
• Rhymes: -aʊ̯

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

lau (strong nominative masculine singular lauer, comparative lauer, superlative am lauesten or am lausten)

1. Synonym of lauwarm (“lukewarm, tepid”)
2. (often of wind or the night) mild; especially in the sense that it is pleasantly cool after a period of heat

   Synonym: mild

   Es war eine laue Sommernacht. ― It was a mild summer night.

3. cushy, easy

   ein lauer Job ― a cushy job

Derived terms

• für lau
• lauer Lenz (“period of idleness”)

sich einen lauen Lenz machen ― to get on a gravy train, to ride the gravy train

Further reading

• “lau” in Duden online
• “lau” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Hawaiian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlau̯/, , (rapid speech)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *lau, from Proto-Polynesian *rau, from Proto-Central Pacific *rau, from Proto-Oceanic *raun, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *raun, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *daun, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *dahun (“leaf”).

Noun

lau

1. leaf

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *rau (“hundred”).

Verb

lau

1. (stative) many, numerous

Numeral

lau

1. four hundred

References

• Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “lau”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press

Hiri Motu

Pronoun

lau

1. 1st-person singular pronoun: I, me

See also

Kalo Finnish Romani

Noun

lau m (genitive laavesko, nominative plural laave, genitive plural laavengo)

1. word
2. talk

Derived terms

Kapampangan

Alternative forms

• lauo (Spanish orthography, obsolete)
• lawu (Súlat Wáwâ)

Etymology

From Sanskrit राहु (rāhu, “Rāhu”). Compare Tagalog laho.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlauʔ/,
• Hyphenation: la‧u

Noun

láû

1. eclipse (usually of the moon)

Derived terms

Related terms

Karo Batak

Noun

lau

1. water

References

• Ahmad Samin Siregar et al. (2001). Kamus Bahasa Karo–Indonesia. Medan: Balai Pustaka, p. 119.

Middle English

Noun

lau

1. Alternative form of lawe

Mokilese

Noun

lau

1. tongue

Inflection

North Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian *lewa, from Proto-West Germanic *lēwō. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Leeuwe.

Noun

lau

1. lion

Synonyms

• lööw

Old Welsh

Etymology

From Proto-Brythonic *llọβ̃, from Proto-Celtic *ɸlāmā, from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂ (“palm, hand”).

Noun

lau f

1. hand

Descendants

• Middle Welsh: llaw
  • Welsh: llaw

Rapa Nui

Adjective

lau

1. wide

Remontado Agta

Noun

laú

1. water

Romanian

Verb

lau

1. inflection of la:
   1. first-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. third-person plural present/imperfect indicative

Samoan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *rau (compare Maori rau), from Proto-Oceanic, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *dahun (compare Malay daun).

Noun

lau

1. leaf

Numeral

lau

1. hundred

Derived terms

• lua lau (“two hundred”)

Tocharian B

Adverb

lau

1. away

   ṣañ wrat lau tärkanacer

   You are going to let your vow away. (literally)

   You are going to break your vow.

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key):
• (Huế) IPA^(key):
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key):

• Audio (Hồ Chí Minh City)

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Vietic *k-luː, cognate with Arem alaw.

Noun

(classifier cây) lau • (𣓿, 𦰤)

1. reed, arundinaceous cane

Etymology 2

Verb

lau

1. to clean by wiping or rubbing with a wet cloth

Derived terms

See also

• giặt
• rửa

Welsh

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /laɨ̯/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /lai̯/

Noun

lau

1. Soft mutation of llau (“lice”).

Mutation

White Hmong

Alternative forms

• laug (for ruminant mammals)

Etymology

From Proto-Hmong *ʔljuwᴮ (“male”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lau̯˧/

Adjective

lau

1. (of birds) male

Derived terms

References

• Heimbach, Ernest E. (1979) White Hmong — English Dictionary‎, SEAP Publications, →ISBN, page 105.