dzert

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *ger-, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷer-, *gʷor-, *gʷerh₃- (“to devour”). The meaning “to drink” is attested only in Baltic languages. Cognates include Lithuanian gérti, Sudovian terd (< *gert), Old Prussian girtwei (“to praise”) (< “to drink in praise of”), Proto-Slavic *žьrati < *gьrati (Russian жрать (žratʹ, “to gobble, to devour”), Czech žrati, Polish żreć), Sanskrit गिरति (giráti, “to eat, to gobble”), Ancient Greek βιβρώσκω (bibrṓskō, “to eat”), βορά (borá, “food, meat, bite”) (< *gʷor-), Latin vorāre (“to devour”) (< *gʷor-).^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [dzɛɾ̂t]

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

dzert (transitive or intransitive, 1st conjugation, present dzeru, dzer, dzer, past dzēru)

1. to drink (to take a liquid into the mouth and swallow it)

   dzert kafiju, tēju, vīnu ― to drink coffee, tea, wine

   teļš dzer pienu ― the calf is drinking milk

   putni dzer ūdeni ― birds drink water

   visu mūžu labprāt esmu dzēris alu ― I have drunk beer with pleasure my whole life

2. (intransitive) to drink (to satisfy one's thirst)

   govis sanāk pie dīķa dzert ― the cows came by the pond to drink

   “dzert gribas,” puika sūrojās ― “I'm thirsty (lit. I want to drink),” the boy complained

3. (of medicine) to take, to ingest (with a liquid)

   dzert zāles ― to take medicine

   dzert aspirīna tableti ― to take an aspirin tablet

4. (figuratively) to enjoy (light, air, climate)

   viņa dzēra vasaru kā zieds, kas atplaucis vienai dienai ― she drank the summer like a flower that blossoms (only) for one day

5. (intransitive) to drink (to consume alcoholic beverages frequently, systematically)

   vīrs dzer tikai tad, ja mājās viss nav kārtībā ― a husband drinks only when everything is not in order at home

   tad viņš iesāka dzert: vakaru pēc vakara viņš streipuļodams no kroga pārnāca mājā ― then he began to drink: night after night he came home staggering from the bar

6. to drink (an alcoholic beverage) to the honor of someone, of a celebration), to celebrate (weddings, baptisms, funerals)

   tagad, Aivar, es dzeru uz jūsu laimi! ― now, Aivars, I drink to your happiness!

   kāzu godu mēs dzērām, kāzu dziesmas dziedājām ― we drank (in honor of) the wedding, we sang wedding songs

   tagad jādzer Brīviņa bēres ― now (we) have to drink (= celebrate) Brīviņš's funeral

   pēdīgi viņš vaicāja, kad Kristīne vēloties, lai tiktu kāzas dzertas? ― finally he asked when Kristīne wanted that the wedding be drunk (= celebrated)

References