vēls

See also: vels and VELS

Latvian

Etymology

Most authors derive vēls from Proto-Baltic *wēlus, an u-stem noun derived from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to turn, to roll”) (whence also the verb velt “to trundle”, q.v.). The semantic evolution of the verb stem would go from “turning, rolling” to “delaying” (cf. vilcināt), so that the derived form vēls would originally mean “delayed”, and then “overdue,” “late.” Cognates include Latvian dialectal vēļš (< *vēlis) and Lithuanian vėlùs.[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [væ̂ls]

Adjective

vēls (definite vēlais, comparative vēlāks, superlative visvēlākais, adverb vēlu)

  1. late (approaching the end of a certain time period)
    vēla pēcpusdiena ― late afternoon
    vēls vakars ― late evening
    strādāt līdz vēlai naktij ― to work till late at night
    vēlais dzelzs laikmets ― the late Iron Age
    vēlā paleolīta beigās ― at the end of the late Paleolithic
    ir jau klāt rudens, pats vēlais rudens, kad dārzā vairs nav nevienas lapas un visi lauku darbi apdarīti ― it is already autumn, even late autumn, when there no longer are any leaves in the garden and all farm work is done
    pie profesionālas mūziķa darbības P. Jurjāns nonāca vēlu ― P. Jurjāns came late (in life) to professional music activity
  2. late (approaching nighttime)
    ir jau vēls ― it is late
    iet gulēt vēlu ― to go to bed late
    man nu jāiet, ir jau vēls un tumšs ― I have to go, it is already late and dark
  3. late, delayed, belated (after the normal, expected or natural time; after the others)
    šogad vēls rudens ― this year (has) a late, belated autumn
    atnākt pār vēlu ― to come too late
    vēls viesis ― a late guest
    viņa vēlākie piedzīvojumi ― his later adventures
    aizbraukt ar vēlo vilcienu ― to go with a late, delayed train
  4. late, tardy (which blooms later than others) (of plants)
    vēlie kartupeļi ― late potatoes
    ievēroju, ka liepas, vēlie jasmīni un rudzi jau noziedējuši ― I noticed that the limes, the late jasmins and the rye are already blooming
  5. late (slow; wrongly showing an earlier time because of some defect) (of clocks)
    vēls, vēlāks pulkstenis ― a late clock

Declension

Antonyms

Derived terms

  • agri vai vēlu
  • vēlīns

References

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