elak

Malay

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /e.lak/
• (Johor-Riau) IPA^(key): [e̞.läʔ]
• Rhymes: -aʔ

Verb

elak (Jawi spelling ايلق)

1. to avoid

   Synonyms: hindar, sisi

Further reading

• “elak” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish elaker, from e- (“always”) + *laker (from Old Norse lakr, cognate with English lack).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈeːˌlɑːk/, /ˈeːˌlak/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

elak

1. mean, cruel, malicious
   • 1982, Lustans Lakejer (lyrics and music), “Diamanter [Diamonds]”, in Diamanter / Sång om syrsor [Diamonds / Song about crickets]‎:

     Jag ska börja bli elak. Jag ska odla mitt hat. För om hatet är tillräckligt kallt, så ser man världen så klart. Och jag ska skapa intriger. Jag ska inte gå att lita på. För om dom vet att jag går bakom deras rygg, så känner dom sig så små.

     I'm going to [shall] start being mean. I'm going to cultivate my hatred. For if the hatred is cold enough, you see the world so clearly. And I will create intrigue [intrigues]. I will not be able to trust. For if they know that I go behind their backs [back], they feel so small.

Inflection

Inflection of elak

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	elak	elakare	elakast
neuter singular	elakt	elakare	elakast
plural	elaka	elakare	elakast
masculine plural2	elake	elakare	elakast
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	elake	elakare	elakaste
all	elaka	elakare	elakaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Derived terms

• elakartad
• elakhet

See also

• grym

References

• elak in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• elak in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• elak in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• elak in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)

Anagrams

• kela, lake, leka