celt

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *kelti, from Proto-Indo-European *kelH- (“to raise”). Cognates include Lithuanian kélti, Proto-Slavic *čelo (Russian чело (čelo, “forehead”)), Latin excellō (“to elevate, to raise”) (< *keld-), celsus (“high, outstanding”) (< *keld-tos).^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [tsɛ̂lt]

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

celt (transitive, 1st conjugation, present ceļu, cel, ceļ, past cēlu)

1. to lift, to raise (to move something upward)

   celt krēsli, akmeni ― to lift a chair, a stone

   celt saiņus ― to lift bundles

   celt glāzi pie lūpām ― to lift a glass to (one's) lips

   celt plecos nastu ― to lift a burden on (one's) shoulders

   celt maisus ārā no ratiem ― to lift (= take) bags out of the cart

   ko nevar celt, to nevar nest ― what you can't lift, you can't carry

   celt roku ― to raise (one's) hand

   celt kāju pāri slieksnim ― to raise (one's) foot above the threshold

   celt galvu (augstāk) ― to raise (one's) head (higher) (= be confident)

   celt degunu par augstu ― to raise (one's) nose high (= be conceited)

   necelt (ne savu) kāju ― to not lift one foot (= to not go)

2. (with galdā “at the table” or priekšā “ahead, at the front”) to offer, to serve (food, drinks) (lit. to lift to the table, to lift forward)

   tajā vakarā Anna līdz pat tumsai nebija skaidrībā, ko lai ceļ vīriešiem galdā ― that night Anna wasn't sure until dark of what (food) she should offer, serve to the men

   viesiem cēla priekšā visu labāko, kas vien patlaban mājā bija ― they offered the guests the best (food, drinks) they had at home

3. (with priekšā “ahead, at the front”) to show, to reveal (lit. to lift forward)

   sapulcēs viņš bija cēlis priekšā savu darbu “Senais Latvietis” ― in the meetings he had shown his work “The Ancient Latvian”

4. (with augšā “up(ward)”) to mention, to bring up (something previously known)

   pagastā runāja, ka Brīviņu ugunsgrēka lietu ceļot augšā ― in the parish they were saying that (someone) had apparently brought up the case of the Brīviņu fire

5. to take (something) across (a body of water), from one shore to the other

   celt tūristus pāri upei ar plostu ― to lift (= take) tourists across the river with a raft

   “Vilnis” ceļ pasažierus pāri Mazajai Daugavai ― the “Vilnis” lifts (= takes) passengers across the Little Daugava (river)

6. (of skills, knowledge) to build up, to raise, to improve, to develop

   celt savu kvalifikāciju ― to raise, improve one's skills

   celt darba ražīgumu ― to raise, improve (work) productivity

   mācoties no Padomju Savienības brālīgo tautu literatūras bagātīgās pieredzes, mūsu rakstnieki ceļ savu meistarību ― learning from the rich experience of the Soviet Union's brotherly folk literature, our writers develop their skills

7. (of people) to improve someone's reputation, standing, to dignify

   tas mani Jēkapeļa acīs lieliski cēla ― this (work) raised me (= made me seem more important) in Jēkapelis' eyes

   vīru ceļ darbi, ne valodas skaļas ― work, not loud talk, raises, dignifies people

8. (colloquial) to raise, to employ, to put to work (in a position of responsibility)

   celt par priekšnieku ― to make (lit. raise) someone a chief

   kas tad šos par ministriem cels, ja ne mēs paši ― who will make (lit. raise, lift) them ministers, if not we ourselves?

   celt āzi par dārznieku ― to raise, to employ a goat as a gardener (= to give a position to someone who cannot be trusted, who will misuse it)

9. to make (someone) rise, to awaken, to wake up (also figuratively)

   celt no rīta bērnus augšā ― to wake up (lit. lift up(ward)) the children in the morning

   rītos viņu ceļ gaiļa dziesma ― in the morning the rooster's crow wakes him up

   Lāčplēsis, diženais vīrs, latviešus cīniņā ceļ ― the Bear Slayer, a great man, awakened the Latvians in (= to) the struggle

10. to build, to construct (a house, a building, etc.)

    celt namu, skolu, rūpnīcu ― to build a house, a school, a factory

    celt pieminekli ― to build a monument

    jauno tiltu cēla draugu, brāļu rokas ― the hands of friends and brothers built the new bridge

    Egles māja bija celta no sarkaniem ķieģeļiem ― Egle's house was built of red bricks

    celt gaisa pilis ― to build air castles (i.e., to fantasize, to dream about impossible things)

11. (figuratively) to build, to make

    celt jauno dzīvi ― to build a new life

    jau šodien mēs ceļam rītdienu ― already today we are building tomorrow

    Kas pats zin atrast labu, ļaunu, / tas pasauli zin celt par jaunu ― he who knows good from evil / can build the world anew

12. (colloquial) to raise, to make, to create, to generate

    celt troksni kā elli ― to make noise like hell

    celt traci, paniku ― to raise (an) uproar, panic

    celt kādam neslavu ― to raise disrepute, infamy on someone (= to spread compromising information about someone)

13. (of claims, complaints, objections, protest) to raise, to allege

    pratināšanas sākumā izmeklētājs jautā apsūdzētajam, vai viņš atzīst sevi par vainīgu celtajā apsūdzībā ― at the beginning of the interrogation the investigator asked the accused if he declared himself guilty of the alleged charges

    amatpersonas, kurām piešķirta tiesība celt protestus, var apturēt attiecīgu spriedumu ― officers who were granted the right to raise protests, can stop the corresponding trial

    labākos kumosus, glītākās drēbes dabūja Dāvis... “viņš jau tāds slimīgs”,» aizstāvēja māte, kad Jūle ar Rūdi cēla iebildumus ― Dāvis got the best bites (of food), the pretties clothes... “he is so sickly,” (his) mother defended him, when Jūle and Rūde raised objections

References

Etymology

Borrowed from French Celte.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃelt/

Noun

celt m (plural celți, feminine equivalent celtă)

1. Celt (member of one of the ancient peoples of Western Europe)

   Synonym: gal

Adjective

celt m or n (feminine singular celtă, masculine plural celți, feminine and neuter plural celte)

1. Celtic

   Synonym: celtic

Etymology

Borrowed from German Zelt. Compare Kashubian celt.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈt͡sɛlt/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛlt
• Syllabification: celt

Noun

celt m inan

1. tent

Further reading

• celt in silling.org

Noun

celt c

1. Obsolete spelling of kelt.

Etymology

From Old High German zelt.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

celt n (plural celta)

1. tent