lidot

Originally the iterative form of *list, from Proto-Baltic *lid-ti, from the same stem as laist (“to let, to allow”): Proto-Indo-European *leyd-, *līd-, *lid- (“to let go, to allow”). The synonyms lidot and laisties are therefore reflexes of the same original stem. The original meaning was probably “to let go,” from which “to fly.” In Indo-European languages, it is common that the notion “to fly” be expressed by a verb also meaning, or having previously meant, some other kind of motion: cf. Lithuanian lė̃kti (“to fly; to run”), Latin volāre (“to fly; to rush”), Ancient Greek βάλλω (bállō, “to throw”). Cognates include Lithuanian lydúoti (“to wait, to postpone; to settle, to let (time) go; to give permission; to be tolerant; to decrease, to weaken (of frost)”), Old Church Slavonic летѣти (letěti, “to fly”), Russian лететь (letetʹ), летать (letatʹ).^[1]

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lidot (intransitive, 2nd conjugation, present lidoju, lido, lido, past lidoju)

1. (in 3rd person, of birds, insects) to fly (to move in the air with the help of wings)

   kaijas lido virs jūras ― gulls fly over the sea

   spāre lido klusi ― the dragonfly flies quietly

   sikspārņi lido krēslā ― bats fly at dusk

2. (of aircraft, their passengers) to fly (to move in the air)

   helikopters lido virs meža ― the helicopter is flying over the forest

   modernās lidmašīnas lido ātri un augstu ― modern airplanes fly fast and high

   Herta pirka biļeti, lai lidotu uz Rīgu ― Herta bought a ticket to fly to Rīga

3. (of projectiles) to fly (to be thrown so as move quickly through the air)

   šāviņi lidoja gar zemi un urbās kalnā kā lieli lemeši ― the projectiles fly along the earth and dig into the hill like big plowshares

4. (of people) to fly, to run (to move quickly)

   Mirdza negāja pa kāpnēm, viņa skrēja, lidoja un, elpu neatņēmusi, atrāva istabas durvis ― Mirdza didn't go upstairs, she ran, she flew, and, without losing breath, tore the room door open

5. (of light things) to fly (to be carried by the air)

   pāri kalnam veseliem klēpjiem lido pieneņu pūkas ― dandelion fluff flies across the whole mountain

   sarkanas dzirksteles no ugunskura lido ― red sparks flew from the fire

6. (of lights, smells) to fly, to spread

   viegla smarža, saldi rūgta kā medus tvaiks, lidoja gaisā ― a light odor, bittersweet as honey, flew in the air

   Veidenbaums runāja paklusu, tomēr vārdi lidoja kā bezdelīgas ― Veidenbaums talked softly, but the words flew like swallows

7. (figuratively, of news, information) to fly, to spread quickly

   vēstis lido vēja ātrumā ― the news flies with the speed of the wind

8. (figuratively, of looks, views) to fly, to turn to something far away

   skats lidoja līdzi putniem brīvā vaļā ― the view flew' out freely with the birds

9. (figuratively, of thoughts) to fly, to run

   viņa domas arī šovakar lido pie Ivas ― her thoughts tonight also fly around Iva

10. (figuratively, of time) to fly, to pass quickly

    gadi kā mākoņi lido, mūžībā aizslid un gaist ― years fly like clouds, eternity slips and disappears

11. (colloquial, of people) to behave very kindly to someone in order to win his or her favor

    cauru nedēļu ap viņu tiku lidojs ― I have been flying around her (= a girl) the whole week

• laisties

prefixed verbs:

other derived terms:

• lidotājs, lidotāja
• lidojums

• lidaparāts
• lidmašīna
• lidosta