slaids

From *slaidus, from Proto-Baltic *sleid-, *slaid-, from Proto-Indo-European *sleidʰ- (“slippery, to slide”) (whence also slīdēt (“to slide”), q.v.), which is ultimately from the same stem as laist (“to let”): *ley- (“to let, to let go”) with an extra -dʰ and an s-mobile). Cognate with Latvian slidens (“slippery”), slaids also meant originally “slippery,” with the following semantic evolution: “slippery” > “smooth, even” > “delicate, slender” > “slim, slender” (“tall and thin”).^[1]

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slaids (definite slaidais, comparative slaidāks, superlative visslaidākais, adverb slaidi)

1. (of people, body parts) lithe, slim, slender

   augumā Arturs bija līdzīgs māsai, tāpat slaids un lokans, garām kajām ― in height Artur was like his sister, just as slim and lithe, with long legs

   slaidi pirksti ― slender fingers

   slaidas kājas ― slender legs

2. (of trees, their trunks) slender, straight (having a tall, straight trunk without branches)

   slaidi bērzi ― slender, straight birch trees

   slaids stumbrs ― slender, straight trunk

   mežā priede izaug slaida, ar taisnu un gludu stumbru, kam zari ir tikai pašā galotnē ― in the woods, the pine tree grows slender, with a straight, smooth trunk, and with branches only at the very top

3. (of plants) straight, slender (having long, straight stems)

   slaidās gladiolas vislabāk izskatās ― the slender gladioli look best

4. (of objects) slender, slim (thin and relatively tall, high)

   slaida bulta ― slender, slim arrow

   slaida laiva ― slender, slim boat

   slaidas, vieglas slēpes ― slender, light skis

5. (of geographic features) relatively tall, high, and steep

   slaidie pakalni ― high hills

   slaidi viļņi ― high waves

   viņam patīk slaidās nokalnes ― he likes steep slopes

6. (of movements) broad, sharp, quick

   te, slaidu soli skriedams, viņu panāca Janelis ― here, running with broad steps, Janelis reached him

   viņš skatījās, kā Roziene slaidiem grābekļa vēzieniem rauš kopā šīs lapas ― he watched as Raziene gathered these leaves with broad strokes of (her) rake

7. (of circular movements) broad

   slidinoties mājā no skolas, es apmetu slaidu līkumu ― sliding/skiing back home from school, I made a broad turn

• slaiks
• tievs

• resns
• tukls

• slaidums