lokans

Latvian

Etymology

From a dialectal adjective loks (flexible) (with an extra -an), from the same stem as liekt (to bend) (q.v.).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [lùokans]
(file)

Adjective

lokans (lokanais comparative, lokanāks superlative, vislokanākais adverb, lokani)

  1. flexible (such that it bends easily without breaking)
    lokans zarsflexible branch
    lokani zāles stiebriflexible grass blades, stems
    lazdas koksne ir ļoti lokana un sīkstahazel wood is very flexible and tough
    viegls vējiņš šūpoja bērzu lokanos zarusa light breeze rocked the flexible birch tree branches
  2. (of people, animals, their bodies and body parts) flexible, agile (capable of agile movements)
    lokans viduklisflexible waist
    lokani pirkstiflexible fingers
    lokana muguraflexible back
    lokanas meža kaķesagile forest cats (lynxes)
    sīkais lokanais Arturs izskatījās gluži kā puikalittle agile Arturs looked just like a boy
  3. (figuratively) flexible, agile (capable of working quickly in a range of situations and variations)
    lokans prātsagile, flexible mind
    lokana balssagile, flexible voice (which changes easily of height, timbre, etc.)
    lokana mēleagile, flexible tongue (said of someone who talks a lot, easily, and convincingly, like e.g. a salesman)
  4. (figuratively, of circumstances) flexible (adapting, capable of admitting significant changes in their conditions)
    padomju aparātam jābūt lokanam, saliedētam, spējīgam precīzi un ātri realizēt partijas un valdības direktīvasa Soviet unit (apparat) must be flexible, cohesive, and able to carry out precisely and quickly the party and government directives
  5. (figuratively, of words, language) flexible (expressive, nuanced)
    mēs priecāmies par to, ka rakstnieka frāze kļuvusi lokanāka, koncentrētāka, domām bagātākawe are glad that the writer's phrase (= style) has become more flexible, more focused, richer in thoughts

Declension

Derived terms

References

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