sukāt

Latvian

Etymology

From the same stem as suka (“brush”) (q.v.), made into a second conjugation verb stem (ending -āt).

Pronunciation

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Verb

sukāt (transitive, 2nd conjugation, present sukāju, sukā, sukā, past sukāju)

1. (of people) to brush, to comb (to smooth one's hair with a brush, a comb)

   sukāt matus ― to brush one's hair

   sukāt galvu ― to brush one's head (= hair)

   jo intensīvāk matus sukā, jo tiem dabiskāks kritums ― the more intensively (one) brushes (one's) hair, the more naturally they fall

   kauna, kauna tev, meitiņa, / nesukāti tev matiņi! ― shame, shame on you, girl / your hair is not brushed (unkempt)

2. (of animals) to brush (to smooth, also to clean, an animal, its fur, with a brush)

   kučieris staļļa priekšā sukā un tīra zirgus ― the coachman brushes and cleans the horses in front of the stable

3. (of flax, hemp and similar plants) to heckle, to comb with a heckle (to pull the fiberss through a heckle — a brush-like instrument — in order to remove the straw from the fibers)

   sukāt linus ― to comb, to heckle flax

   nu viņa izskatījās visa kā sukātu linu sauja ― now she looked as if she were combing some flax

4. (colloquial) to birch, to thrash, to beat, usually as punishment

   nu atkal māte sukās par nedarbiem ― now again mother will thrash me for (my) mischief

   “Labdien, cienījams skolas kungs!” māte sveicināja paklanīdamās un stūma dēlu uz priekšu: “atvedu jums ko sukāt vienu palaidni” ― “good morning, honored school principal!” the mother greeted with abow and pushed (her) son forward: “I am bringing you a mischief-maker to punish”

5. (colloquial) to gobble, to eat hastily, with great appetite

   sukāt maizi ― to eat, to gobble (lit. brush) bread

   sukā tikai visu nost! ― just eat (lit. brush) it all up!

   te pārdevēji katru brīdi varēja sēst klāt un sukāt par velti kunga speķi un kāpostus ― here the salesmen could at any moment sit down and quickly eat bacon and cabbage for free

   tikko ticis atpakaļ laivā, šis jau raisa maisu vaļā un ņemas sukāt, it kā ābolu neredzējis ― as soon as he was back on the boat, he opened the bag and started eating (lit. brushing), as if he hadn't seen the apple

6. (colloquial) to go fast, to run

   tur būs labs gabals ko sukāt ― there will be a lot (of distance) to run (lit. to brush) there

   līdz tilta viņam galam ir krietni ko sukāt ― to the bridge he really had a lot (of distance) to run (lit. to brush)

   sukājām kājām pa šoseju ― we ran (lit. brushed) on foot on the road

Conjugation

Synonyms

• (of "brushing, combing"): ķemmēt
• (of "thrashing, beating"): pērt
• (of "gobbling"): locīt
• (of "running"): skriet

Derived terms

prefixed verbs:

other derived terms:

• sukāties

Related terms

• suka

References