tīrs

From the past tense stem *tīr- of an earlier verb *tirt (“to rub”), from Proto-Baltic *tir-, from the zero grade *tr̥- of Proto-Indo-European *ter- (“to rub, to rub by turning, twisting; to turn, to drill”), whence also Latvian trīt (“to whet”), and also Russian тереть (teretʹ, “to rub, to scrub”), dialectal тирать (tiratʹ). Cognates include Lithuanian tyrùs (“bright, light, clean; fresh; without vegetation, empty”).^[1]

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tīrs (definite tīrais, comparative tīrāks, superlative vistīrākais, adverb tīri)

1. (of objects) clean (which is not dirty, has no stains, no undesirable substances, etc.)

   tīrs apģērbs, galdauts ― clean clothing, tablecloth

   tīra glāze ― clean glass

   tīra grīda ― clean floor

   tīra istaba ― clean room

   tīrs ciemats ― clean village

   Kārlis nolēma uzklāt gultai tīrus palagus ― Kārlis decided to put clean sheets on the bed

   lai turētu mājas arvien tīras, lapas sagrāba un sakrāva orēs ― in order to keep the house(s) always clean, he gathered all the leaves and shoveled them into carts

2. (of living beings, their bodies) clean (such that it has no dirt, stains, etc. on any body part, clothes, etc.)

   tīras rokas ― clean hands

   tīri mati ― clean hair

   tīrs suns ― clean dog

   strēlnieki dzied klusu, sejas tīras, skūtas ― the riflemen sing quiently, (their) faces clean, shaven

   kaķis ir vienmēr vientuļš apdzīvotā mājā, vienmēr skaists un tīrs ― the cat is always lonely in an inhabited house, always nice and clean

3. (of substances) pure, clean (not containing any unnecessary or undesirable impurities)

   tīrs zelts ― pure gold

   tīrs parafīns ― pure paraffin

   tīrs māls ― pure clay

   ķīmiski tīrs benzols ― chemically pure benzene

   tīrs ūdens, gaiss ― clean water, air

   ūdens silts un tīrs; katru akmentiņu un lielāku smilšu graudu var skaidri cauri redzēt ― the water is warm and clean; every little stone or larger grain of sand can be clearly seen through (it)

4. (of technology) clean (such that it does not pollute the environment)

   jauniem enerģijas avotiem jāatbilst divām pamatprasībām: tiem jābūt spēcīgiem un ekoloģiski tīriem ― new energy sources must meet two basic requirements: they must be powerful and ecologically clean

5. clean, empty, clear (in which something is not; which is not filled with, taken by, something; from which something was removed)

   no nezālēm tīra augsne ― soil clean of weeds

   tīrā papuve ― the clean fallow (= with no crops)

   tīra papīra lapa ― clean, empty page (= with nothing written on it)

   tīra tāfele ― clean, empty blackboard

   tīrs audekls ― clean, empty canvas

   debesis bija tīras, neviena mākonīša ― the sky was clear, not a single little cloud

6. (of money, resources) net (calculated by excluding certain component elements)

   tīrais ienākums ― net income

   tīrais laiks ― net time

   tīrā produkcija ― net production

   vecais aprēķināja, ka saņēmis trīspadsmit latus un deviņdesmit vienu santīmu un, ja atskaitīja ceļa naudu, tad tīrā peļņa tik un tā iznāca vairāk nekā divpadsmit latu ― the old man calculated that, having received thirty lats and ninety-one cents, if one deducts the travel money, then the net profit would come to more than twentyt lats

7. (of living beings) pure (such that no other species are involved in its origin)

   tīras koku un krūmu sugas ― pure tree and shrub species

   tīras rases ― pure races

   tīras vietējās bites ― pure local bees

   tīras asinis ― pure blood (e.g., horse)

8. (of people) pure, genuine, real (such that no other ethnic or social group, no other kinds of people are involved in a person's origin)

   tīrs latvietis ― a pure, genuine Latvian

   tīrs aristokrāts ― a pure, genuine aristocrat

   tīrs pilsētnieks ― a real, genuine city person

9. (of topics) pure (existing by itself, without depending on others; not applied, not used for some goal outside of itself)

   tīrā matemātika ― pure mathematics

   tīrā zinātne ― pure science

   tīrā māksla ― pure art

10. clean, pure, perfect (fully meeting a certain set of requirements, criteria, ideals, etc.)

    tīrs tonis ― pure tone

    tīrs soprāns ― pure soprano

    baltu gaismu sadalot spektrā, iegūst tīrās spektrālās krāsas ― splitting white light into a spectrum, one obtains pure spectral colors

    Annas Sakses valoda bija vicaur gramatiski pareiza, tīra un labskanīga ― Anna Sakse's language was grammatically correct, pure and well-sounding throughout

    tie bija jauni cilvēki, ar labu apņemšanos, tīrām biogrāfijām un teicamiem raksturojumiem ― these were young people, committed to good, with clean, pure biographies and excellent characters

    nav brīnums, ka jūsu mājā jaunā paaudze runā tīru latviešu valodu ― no wonder that the young generation in your house speaks pure Latvian

11. (of people, their behavior) pure, innocent (which corresponds consistently to certain moral norms or ideals)

    tīra sirdsapziņa ― a clean conscience

    tīra dzīve ― a clean, pure life

    tīras jūtas ― pure, innocent feelings

    tīrs prieks ― pure, innocent joy

    tīra dvēsele ― pure, innocent soul

    tīra sirds ― pure heart

    domāju par Anitu, kāda viņa bija tad, kad tu viņu atvedi pie mums: tāda tīra, skaidra kā bērns ― I thought about Anita as she was when you brought her to us; pure and clear (= innocent) as a child

    tādai vajag būt mīlestībai: tīrai; lai nav ko kaunēties ― such love should be: pure; so that there is nothing to be ashamed of

    viņas smiekli ir tik tīri kā bērnam ― her laugh is as pure as a child's

    ja es vēl ilgāk klusēšu, spēle vairs nebūs tīra, Sala domāja ― if I keep silent any longer, the game will not be clean (= honest) anymore

12. (usually definite forms) pure, sheer, perfect (which has all the relevant features and characteristics of its type)

    tīrā patiesība ― the pure, sheer, naked truth

    tīrā laime ― pure, sheer happiness

    tīrā nejaušība ― sheer coincidence

    tīrās muļķības ― pure, utter nonsense, stupidity

    “jūs vēl esat tik jauniņa”, viņš sacīja, “vēl tīrais bērns” ― you are still so young, he said, still just (lit. a pure) child

• (of "pure" (people, behavior)): nevainīgs
• (of "clear" (liquid, air)): skaidrs, dzidrs
• (of "corresponding to certain ideals"): īsts

• netīrs

• tīrība
• tīrīgs, tīrīgums
• tīrums

• tīrīt
• tīrītājs, tīrītāja
• tīrītava