gaist

See also: Gäist

Latvian

Etymology

The origin of this word is unclear. If, as has been proposed, gaist is connected to dialectal Latvian atgaiša, atgaišis (“wind blow; windy place”), then its original meaning could have been “to blow, to breathe,” perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *(s)gʷes- (“to extinguish, to quench”) (whence also Latvian dzēst “to extinguish, to quench”; q.v.): its length grade *gʷēs- would become *gʷeys-, with o grade *gʷoys-, from which Proto-Balto-Slavic *gais- “to blow” → “to disappear with the wind,” “to vanish.” Another suggestion links gaist to ģībt (“to faint”); yet another, to Latin haereō (“to cling, to adhere”). Cognates include Lithuanian gaĩšti (“to linger, to hesitate; to perish, to die; to vanish, to disappear”).^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡàjst]
• IPA^(key): [ɡājst]

• Audio:

  (file)

• IPA^(key): [ɡâjst]

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

gaist

1. third-person singular/plural present indicative of gaist
2. (with the particle lai) third-person singular imperative of gaist
3. (with the particle lai) third-person plural imperative of gaist

gaist (intransitive, 1st conjugation, present gaistu, gaisti, gaist, past gaisu)

1. (in the 3rd person; of smoke, gases, etc.) to dissipate (to disappear into the surrounding environment)

   migla gaist ― the fog is dissipating

   smaržas gaist ― the odor is dissipating

   melni dūmu kamoli, veldamies no augstiem dūmeņiem, risinās un gaistot izsēj sīkas kvēpu pārsliņas Daugavas ūdeņos ― black balls of smoke, forming from high chimneys, rose and (while) dissipating sowed tiny flakes of soot on the waters of the Daugava (river)

   (iz)gaist kā dūmi, kā migla ― it dissipates like smoke, like fog (i.e., it doesn't last long)

   vecie parādi jāmaksā, nodokļus piedzen, bet vieglā peļņa izgaisusi kā dūmi ― old debts must be paid, taxes are collected, and easy profits dissipate (= vanish) like smoke

2. to disappear in the distance, to become gradually undistinguishable from one's surroundings as one moves away, or because of darkness, fog, etc.

   gaist skatienam ― to disappear from sight

   dzērves gaist debesu tālē ― the cranes (birds) disappear in the distant sky

   atvados un lēnām gaistu ― I take leave and slowly disappear

   ārā snieg; krīt lielas un smagas pārslas... sniega ņirboņā gaist tumšās egles ― it is snowing outside; big, heavy flakes are falling... the dark fir trees disappear in the abundant snow

3. (chemistry, in the 3rd person; of volatile substances) to evaporate (to become vapor and disappear in the surrounding environment)

   ēteris viegli gaist ― ether evaporates easily (= is volatile)

   gaistošas vielas ― volatile substances

   ir divas fitoncīdu grupas: gaistošā frakcija, tas ir, vielas, kuras augs izdala atmosfērā...; un negaistošā frakcija: vielas, kas atrodas šūnsulā ― there are two groups of phytoncides: the volatile group, which the plant releases into the atmosphere...; and the non-volatile group: substances present in the vegetable sap

4. (in the 3rd person; of mental or physiological states) to wear off, to fade, to recede, to disappear, to end

   nemiers, dusmas gaist ― the anxiety, the anger is disappearing

   nogurums gaist ― the fatigue is disappearing

   mīlestība ir gaisusi ― love has dissipated, disappeared

   bēdas gaist ― the grief is disappearing

   atmiņas gaist ― the memories are fading

   nodomi gaist ― the intention is weakening

   ilūzijas gaist ― the illusions are wearing off

   daiļums gaist ― beauty fades, disappears

   sejā gaist smaids ― the smile is fading on (his) face

   kā viļņi krastmalā pret klinšu pleciem sadrūp, tā mani sapņi gaist; bet pašam nav, kur bēgt ― like waves crumbling against the rocks on the coast, so my dreams fade; and I don't have anywhere to flee

   tik labi un viegli bija viņas tuvumā, ka viss bijušais gaisa kā nebijis ― so good and comfortable it was (to be) near her that everything that was (= existed) disappeared as if it had not been (= existed)

5. (in the 3rd person; of light or darkness) to fade, to disappear (to stop shining)

   ēnas gaist ― the shadows disappear

   krēsla gaist ― the dawn is fading

   var nodzēst liesmu; un kvēle gaist ― one can extinguish the flame; and then the glow fades, disappears

6. (in the 3rd person; of sounds) to fade, to fall gradually silent

   dziesma gaist tālumā ― the song fades in the distance

   gaistoša melodija ― fading melody

7. (in th 3rd person; of time, time periods) to go by, to disappear

   dienas ātri gaist ― the days go quickly by

   pagātne gaist ― the past goes by, fades, disappears

   vai tādi mirkļi aizmirstībā gaist? — do such (beautiful) moments fade into oblivion?

   ai gadi, kādēļ jūs gaistat, kādēļ tik ātri jums skriet? ― oh, years, why do you go by, why do you have to run so fast?

Conjugation

	INDICATIVE (īstenības izteiksme)				IMPERATIVE (pavēles izteiksme)
		Present (tagadne)	Past (pagātne)	Future (nākotne)
1st pers. sg.	es	gaistu	gaisu	gaisīšu	—
2nd pers. sg.	tu	gaisti	gaisi	gaisīsi	gaisti
3rd pers. sg.	viņš, viņa	gaist	gaisa	gaisīs	lai gaist
1st pers. pl.	mēs	gaistam	gaisām	gaisīsim	gaisīsim
2nd pers. pl.	jūs	gaistat	gaisāt	gaisīsiet, gaisīsit	gaistiet
3rd pers. pl.	viņi, viņas	gaist	gaisa	gaisīs	lai gaist
RENARRATIVE (atstāstījuma izteiksme)			PARTICIPLES (divdabji)
Present	gaistot		Present Active 1 (Adj.)		gaistošs
Past	esot gaisis		Present Active 2 (Adv.)		gaisdams
Future	gaisīšot		Present Active 3 (Adv.)		gaistot
Imperative	lai gaistot		Present Active 4 (Obj.)		gaistam
CONDITIONAL (vēlējuma izteiksme)			Past Active		gaisis
Present	gaistu		Present Passive		—
Past	būtu gaisis		Past Passive		—
DEBITIVE (vajadzības izteiksme)			NOMINAL FORMS
Indicative	(būt) jāgaist		Infinitive (nenoteiksme)		gaist
Conjunctive 1	esot jāgaist		Negative Infinitive		negaist
Conjunctive 2	jāgaistot		Verbal noun		gaišana

conjugation of gaist

Derived terms

• izgaist
• pagaist

References

1. Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “gaist”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎ (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

Scots

Noun

gaist (plural gaists)

1. ghost