sargāt

Probably the iterative form of an (unattested) verb *sargt or *sergt, from the same stem as sargs (“protector”): Proto-Baltic *serg-, *sarg-, from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to watch over, to protect, to preserve”) with an extra -g. The present tense forms sargu and sargāju alternate in various dialects; the shorter form is older, the longer more recent. Cognates include Lithuanian sérgėti, sergė́ti (“to protect, to supervise, to watch over”), archaic sergti; Old Prussian absergīsnan (“defense ”); from the same root *ser-, also Latin servāre (“to protect, to watch, to keep, to preserve, to save, to store”) and perhaps Ancient Greek goddess Ἥρα (Hḗra). From a possibly related stem *sterg-, also Proto-Slavic *stergti (“to protect, to watch over”), *storžь (“protector, guard”) (Old Church Slavonic стрѣшти (strěšti), стражь (stražĭ), Russian стере́чь (steréčʹ), сто́рож (stórož)).^[1]

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sargāt

1. second-person plural present indicative of sargāt

sargāt (transitive, 2nd/3rd conjugation, present sargāju, sargā, sargā / sargu, sargi, sarga, past sargāju)

1. to protect, to guard (to act in such a way that something, some place, etc. becomes unavailable, inaccessible to undesirable or unauthorized people)

   sargāt rūpnīcu ― to protect the factory

   sargāt teritoriju ― to protect the territory

   sargāt munīcijas noliktavu ― to guard the ammunition depo

   sargāt nometni, cietumu ― to guard the camp, the prison

   sarga veikalu kāds večuks ― some old man guards the store

2. to protect (to prevent something unwanted, undesirable from happening to someone, usually an important person)

   sargāt valsts vadītājus ― to protect the heads of state

   sargāt sūtni ― to protect the messenger

   sargāt parlamentārus ― to protect the members of parliament

3. (usually of military forces) to protect, to defend (to prevent the enemy from attacking, spying, etc.)

   sargāt robežu ― to protect, to defend the border

   dzimteni 'sargājot / asinis liet / dzīvību atdot / es arī varu ― protecting (my) fatherland / shed blood / give (my) life / I also can

   es, māsiņa, tālu eju sargāt savu tēvu zemi ― I, sister, am going far (away) to protect my fatherland

4. to protect, to guard (to prevent something or someone from being stolen, destroyed, attacked, etc.; also of animals)

   cilvēks sarga savu mantu no laupītājiem ― a person protects his property from thieves

   tās ir plūmes; man viņas jāsargā, lai citi berni nenošķin ― these are plums; I must protect, guard them, so that other children won't pluck them off

   Oskars iegādājies suni, lai sargā māju ― Oskars purchased a dog to protect (his) house

   stirna savus mazuļus ļoti sargā, aizdzenot ienaidniekus ar stipro priekškāju sitieniem ― the doe protects her babies, driving the enemies away with strong blows of (her) front legs

5. to guard, to watch over (to limit the freedom of action of someone, usually a prisoner)

   sargāt cietumniekus ― to guard the prisoners

6. to protect, to shelter (to use something carefully, to prevent bad external influences on something)

   sargāt jauno uzvalku ― to protect the new suit

   sargāt mašīnu no bojājumiem ― to protect the car from damage

   sargāt mežu no uguns ― to protect the forest from fire(s)

   sargāt veselību ― to protect one's health

   sargāt acis ― to protect one's eyes (e.g., from excessive sunlight)

   mitrums ļoti nelabvēlīgi ietekmē koka ķīļu izturīgumu, tāpēc tie darbā jāsargā no samirkšanas ― humidity has a very detrimental effect on the resistance of wooden wedges; because of this, (one) must protect them from getting wet in (= during) work

   līgava attin vaļā lakatu, kas to sargājis no dubļiem un ceļa grants ― the bride removes the scarf, so as to protect it from dirt and road gravel

7. to protect, to keep, to guard (to make something, e.g., honor, tradition, relationships, be preserved)

   es vēl nezināju, ka draudzība ir ļoti, ļoti jāsargā ― I still didn't know that friendship must really, really be protected

   vainaga gods meitai jāsarga, kamēr tā ir meitas kārta un nes vainagu— the girl must keep, preserve the crown's honor, as long as it is the girl's time and she wears the crown

   vēstures un kultūras pieminekļus sargā likums ― the law protects historical and cultural monuments

   pilsoņu dzīvokļu neaizskaramību sargā likums ― the law protects the inviolability of citizen's homes

• aizstāvēt

• uzbrukt

prefixed verbs:

• other derived terms:

• sargāties

• sardze
• sargs, sardze