ļauns

From the stem of the verb ļaut (“to allow, to permit; to tolerate”) (q.v.), with a suffix *-no. The original meaning was probably “allowed (to do as s/he pleased), allowed (to let go)” (compare palaist (“to let go”), palaidnis (“naughty child”)). Cognates include Lithuanian liáunas, liaũnas (“flexible; slim, slender; weal; free, serene”).[1]

• IPA^(key): [ʎāūns]

ļauns (definite ļaunais, comparative ļaunāks, superlative visļaunākais, adverb ļauni)

1. evil, wicked (whose behavior, attitude towards others is hostile, cruel, vile, criminal)

   ļauns cilvēks ― evil person

   viens un tas pats cilvēks var būt vienā brīdī bezgala labs un otrā, neticami ļauns ― the same person can be one moment infintely good, and then, incredibly evil

2. evil (expressing hatred, cruelty)

   ļauns smīns ― evil grin

   ļauna sirds ― evil heart, malice

   ļauns prieks ― gloat (lit. evil joy)

   ļauna acs (kādam) ― (someone has) evil eye (i.e., can curse)

3. evil, bad (relating to, leading to something very undesirable, misfortune, sorrow; dangerous)

   ļauns liktenis ― evil fate

   ļauns stāvoklis ― bad, twisted condition

   noticis kas ļauns ― something bad happened

   ļaunākajā gadījumā ― in the worst (lit. worse) case

   visas labās un ļaunās dienas ― all the good and bad days

4. evil, twisted, dark (whose content expresses something hateful, cruel)

   ļauns humors ― twisted, dark humor

   ļauna slava ― infamy (lit. evil fame)

5. (of animals, plants) harmful

   no gundegu sugām pašas indīgākās ir ļaunās gundegas ― of all species of buttercup the most poisonous is the celery-leaved buttercup (lit. evil buttercup)

• slikts

• labs

• ļaunums