resns

Latvian

Etymology

From the same stem as rets (“thin, rare, scarce”) (q.v.), with adjectival derivation: *ret-snas > resns. Maybe originally used of trees: rare, sparse trees, separate from others, tend to be thick; this sense could then be generalized to other tree-like objects. A different opinion is that resns is related to Old High German risi (“giant”), Old Church Slavonic редъ (redŭ, “food”), and perhaps, via metathesis, with Latvian vērsis (“ox”); but the Lithuanian cognate suggests that the original meaning of this word was “stout,” “strongly built,” not “well fed.” Cognates include Lithuanian rẽsnas (“squat, strong, stout”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ræsns]

Adjective

resns (definite resnais, comparative resnāks, superlative visresnākais, adverb resni)

1. (of cylindrical objects) thick (having a relatively large cross-section)

   resni baļķi ― thick logs

   resns zīmulis ― thick, stubby pencil

   resns stumbrs ― thick, stout trunk

   resna virtuve, stieple, caurule ― thick rope, wire, tube

   resni diegi ― thick thread

   resnas adatas ― thick needles

   resnā zarna ― colon (lit. thick intestine)

2. (of people, animals, body parts) fat, overweight

   resns vīrs ― fat man

   resns vēders ― fat belly

   resna tirgus sieva ― fat market woman, lady

   resns sivēns ― fat piglet

3. (colloquial, of sounds) having a low timbre

   Jaņuka resnā balss ― Jaņuks' thick voice

Declension

Indefinite declension (nenoteiktā galotne) of resns

	masculine (vīriešu dzimte)			feminine (sieviešu dzimte)
	singular	plural		singular	plural
nominative	resns	resni		resna	resnas
genitive	resna	resnu		resnas	resnu
dative	resnam	resniem		resnai	resnām
accusative	resnu	resnus		resnu	resnas
instrumental	resnu	resniem		resnu	resnām
locative	resnā	resnos		resnā	resnās
vocative	—	—		—	—

Synonyms

• (of leaf- or wall-like objects): biezs
• (of people): tukls

Antonyms

• tievs
• slaids, slaiks

Derived terms

• resnums