traks

From Proto-Baltic *trek-, *trak-, from Proto-Indo-European *terk-, *trek- (“to turn”), from the stem *ter- (“to turn; to rub, to grate (by turning); to drill, to pierce”). The meaning probably evolved from “turning, drilling” to “moving quickly” ( > “aggressively”) to “crazy, mad.” Cognates include Lithuanian trãkas (“crazy; quick, fast”).^[1]

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traks (definite trakais, comparative trakāks, superlative vistrakākais, adverb traki)

1. (of animals) mad, rabid (affected with rabies)

   traks suns ― mad dog (i.e., dog with rabies)

   vesels vilks cilvēkam neuzbrūk, taču vilki saslimst ar trakumsērgu un to arī pārnēsā; tādēļ ir gadījumi, kad traki vilki stipri sakoduši cilvēkus ― a healthy wolf does not attack a person, but wolves (can) get sick with rabies and transmit it; because of this, there are cases in which mad wolves have severely bitten people

2. (colloquial) mad, crazy, insane (having mental, psychological problems; behaving as one who has lost his mind; expressing such condition)

   strādā kā traks ― (he) works like mad (= very intensively)

   trako krekls ― mad ones' shirt (= straitjacket)

   trako māja, trako nams ― mad ones' house (= psychiatric hospital)

   un, kad viņš apprecējās ar latvieti, tad radi pasludinājuši baronu par traku un ielikuši klīnikā ― and, when he got married to a Latvian woman, then (his) relatives declared that the baron was crazy and put him in a clinic

   nepieminiet man Galileju un Kepleru, kungs! tie vīri ir traki! viņi apgalvo, ka zeme griežoties, lai gan mēs katru mirkli jūtam, ka tā stāv kā pienaglota ― don't mention Galileo and Kepler to me, sir! these men are crazy! they affirm that the earth turns, although we feel every minute that it stands (= remains motionless) as if nailed

   Edgars nezina, ko iesākt; nāk virsū traka nervozitāte... uztraukts viņš staigā pa dzīvokli ― Edgars doesn't know what to say; a crazy nervousness came to him... excitedly he walked around in the apartment

3. crazy (which acts, behaves, speaks very loud, making noise, being fast, unrestrained; such that it expresses such behavior)

   traka deja ― crazy dance

   traka raudāšana ― crazy crying

   pēkšņi aprima pat paši trakākie pļāpas un skaļākie ņirgas ― suddenly even the craziest talks and loudest gossips were silent

   kaprālis sagatavojās trakākam bļāvienam šovakar; pavēra jau muti ― the corporal prepared a crazier yell tonight; he has already opened (his) mouth'

   tas ir tāds traks vecums; līdz astoņpadsmit ― that is such a crazy age; until eighteen

4. crazy (daring, reckless, careless; aggressive, turbulent)

   traks braucējs ― crazy driver

   traks skrējiens ― crazy race

   traka ideja ― crazy idea

   tikko pienākušie vīrieši laikam stāstīja agrākajiem par Brīviņu kunga trako braucienu ― recently arrived men were maybe telling the early (people) about Mr Brīviņš' crazy trip

   uznāk traka vēlēšanās aplikt roku ap meitenes pleciem, noskūpstīt ― there came a crazy desire to put (his) arm around the girl's shoulders, to kiss her

   Zigis savaldīja trako, neiebraukto ķēvi ― Zigis restrained the crazy, untamed mare

5. (colloquial) crazy (very strong, very intense)

   traka ēstgriba ― crazy appetite

   traka peļņa ― crazy (= very big) profits

   bija traka vēlme tikai pieskarties, piedurt pirkstu klavierēm ― (he) had a crazy desire to touch, to rub (his) fingers on the piano

6. crazy (very intense, very powerful, having strong effects)

   trakās krāsās izkrāsotas mašīnas ― cars painted in crazy colors

7. crazy (very strong, very powerful, possibly destructive)

   diena bija karsta kā pašā trakākajā jūlijā ― the day was hot as in the craziest (= hottest) July

   laiva tuvojās krācēm; vēl brīdi, un viņi būs ierauti trakā virpulī ― the boat was approaching the rapids; one more moment, and they would be dragged into the crazy vortex, whirlpool

8. (in its adverbial form, as an intensifier) crazily; very, very much, terribly

   traki dārgs ― very expensive

   traki skaists ― very beautiful

   viņš liekas traki gudrs vīrs, taisni tāds, kā mums vajadzīgs ― he seems (to be) a very wise/smart man, exactly what we need

   un tev tik traki gribas aizdot? ― do you (really) feel so much like lending (money)?

9. (in its adverbial form, with būt “to be”) crazy (unexpected; undesirable; unpleasant)

   Krauklis iesaucas: “sieva, nu ir traki: pagalmā bruņoti vīri!” ― Krauklis shouted: “wife, now it's crazy: in the yard (there are) armed men!”

10. (with uz (“on; about”)) crazy about (liking, wanting something very much)

    traks uz naudu ― crazy about money

    kaķis traks uz gaļu ― the cat (is) crazy about meat

• (of "crazy, mad, insane"): ārprātīgs, neprātīgs, vājprātīgs

• trakums

• trakot