īss

From Proto-Baltic *isas, *insas, from Proto-Indo-European *eis-, *is- (“to move fast, forcefully, to drive”) (from earlier “to hit, to move, to drive”). This root may have resulted from metathesis of *sei- (“to extend one's arms; strain, strength”), whence sist (“to hit”). Semantic development: “to hit, to move” > “to knock down, to reduce (with a blow)” > “made smaller, shorter” (participle). Cognates include Lithuanian dialectal įsas, Old Prussian insan (accusative), Sanskrit इषत (iṣát, “a little, a few”) (< *iṇst).[1]

• IPA^(key): [îːs]

īss (definite īsais, comparative īsāks, superlative visīsākais, adverb īsi)

1. short (having relatively little length, less than average length)

   īsas piedurknes ― short sleeves

   īsa pātaga ― short whip

   īsi svārki ― short skirt

   īsie viļņi, īsviļņi ― shortwaves

   īss stāsts, dzejolis — short story, poem

2. short, laconic

   īsos vārdos ― in short, in sum, briefly (lit. in short words)

3. short, brief (lasting relatively little time, having relatively little duration; syn. neilgs)

   pēc īsiem saules mirkļiem ― after brief moments of sun(shine)

   ziemas dienas ir īsas ― winter days are short

   īsa izrāde ― short show

   īss koncerts ― short concert

   īsa saruna ― short conversation

4. short (which goes, ends quickly, insufficiently long)

   dzīve taču ir tik īsa kā decembra diena ― but life is as short as a December day

   bišu mūžs ir īss, tikai daži mēneši ― bee life is short, only a few months

5. (of feelings, states, relations) short-lived, insufficient

   mana laime bija īsa ― my happiness was short

6. (phonetics, phonology) short (pronounced with relatively little duration)

   īss patskanis ― short vowel

   īsa zilbe ― short syllable

7. short, brief (lasting only a few moments)

   īss svilpiens ― short whistle

   īsa skaņa, nopūta ― short sound, sigh

8. (of motion) short, quick (small, but fast)

   ar īsu žestu tas aicināja viņu apsēsties sev pretim ― with a short, quick gesture that one invited him to sit down next to him

• (antonym(s) of “of space”): garš
• (antonym(s) of “of time”): ilgs

• īsināt
• īsums
• īsviļņi, īsie viļņi