traks

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *trek-, *trak-, from Proto-Indo-European *terk-, *trek- (“to turn”), from the stem *ter- (“to turn; to rub, to grate (by turning); to drill, to pierce”). The meaning probably evolved from “turning, drilling” to “moving quickly” ( > “aggressively”) to “crazy, mad.” Cognates include Lithuanian trãkas (“crazy; quick, fast”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [tɾaks]

Adjective

traks (definite trakais, comparative trakāks, superlative vistrakākais, adverb traki)

1. (of animals) mad, rabid (affected with rabies)

   traks suns ― mad dog (i.e., dog with rabies)

   vesels vilks cilvēkam neuzbrūk, taču vilki saslimst ar trakumsērgu un to arī pārnēsā; tādēļ ir gadījumi, kad traki vilki stipri sakoduši cilvēkus ― a healthy wolf does not attack a person, but wolves (can) get sick with rabies and transmit it; because of this, there are cases in which mad wolves have severely bitten people

2. (colloquial) mad, crazy, insane (having mental, psychological problems; behaving as one who has lost his mind; expressing such condition)

   strādā kā traks ― (he) works like mad (= very intensively)

   trako krekls ― mad ones' shirt (= straitjacket)

   trako māja, trako nams ― mad ones' house (= psychiatric hospital)

   un, kad viņš apprecējās ar latvieti, tad radi pasludinājuši baronu par traku un ielikuši klīnikā ― and, when he got married to a Latvian woman, then (his) relatives declared that the baron was crazy and put him in a clinic

   nepieminiet man Galileju un Kepleru, kungs! tie vīri ir traki! viņi apgalvo, ka zeme griežoties, lai gan mēs katru mirkli jūtam, ka tā stāv kā pienaglota ― don't mention Galileo and Kepler to me, sir! these men are crazy! they affirm that the earth turns, although we feel every minute that it stands (= remains motionless) as if nailed

   Edgars nezina, ko iesākt; nāk virsū traka nervozitāte... uztraukts viņš staigā pa dzīvokli ― Edgars doesn't know what to say; a crazy nervousness came to him... excitedly he walked around in the apartment

3. crazy (which acts, behaves, speaks very loud, making noise, being fast, unrestrained; such that it expresses such behavior)

   traka deja ― crazy dance

   traka raudāšana ― crazy crying

   pēkšņi aprima pat paši trakākie pļāpas un skaļākie ņirgas ― suddenly even the craziest talks and loudest gossips were silent

   kaprālis sagatavojās trakākam bļāvienam šovakar; pavēra jau muti ― the corporal prepared a crazier yell tonight; he has already opened (his) mouth'

   tas ir tāds traks vecums; līdz astoņpadsmit ― that is such a crazy age; until eighteen

4. crazy (daring, reckless, careless; aggressive, turbulent)

   traks braucējs ― crazy driver

   traks skrējiens ― crazy race

   traka ideja ― crazy idea

   tikko pienākušie vīrieši laikam stāstīja agrākajiem par Brīviņu kunga trako braucienu ― recently arrived men were maybe telling the early (people) about Mr Brīviņš' crazy trip

   uznāk traka vēlēšanās aplikt roku ap meitenes pleciem, noskūpstīt ― there came a crazy desire to put (his) arm around the girl's shoulders, to kiss her

   Zigis savaldīja trako, neiebraukto ķēvi ― Zigis restrained the crazy, untamed mare

5. (colloquial) crazy (very strong, very intense)

   traka ēstgriba ― crazy appetite

   traka peļņa ― crazy (= very big) profits

   bija traka vēlme tikai pieskarties, piedurt pirkstu klavierēm ― (he) had a crazy desire to touch, to rub (his) fingers on the piano

6. crazy (very intense, very powerful, having strong effects)

   trakās krāsās izkrāsotas mašīnas ― cars painted in crazy colors

7. crazy (very strong, very powerful, possibly destructive)

   diena bija karsta kā pašā trakākajā jūlijā ― the day was hot as in the craziest (= hottest) July

   laiva tuvojās krācēm; vēl brīdi, un viņi būs ierauti trakā virpulī ― the boat was approaching the rapids; one more moment, and they would be dragged into the crazy vortex, whirlpool

8. (in its adverbial form, as an intensifier) crazily; very, very much, terribly

   traki dārgs ― very expensive

   traki skaists ― very beautiful

   viņš liekas traki gudrs vīrs, taisni tāds, kā mums vajadzīgs ― he seems (to be) a very wise/smart man, exactly what we need

   un tev tik traki gribas aizdot? ― do you (really) feel so much like lending (money)?

9. (in its adverbial form, with būt “to be”) crazy (unexpected; undesirable; unpleasant)

   Krauklis iesaucas: “sieva, nu ir traki: pagalmā bruņoti vīri!” ― Krauklis shouted: “wife, now it's crazy: in the yard (there are) armed men!”

10. (with uz (“on; about”)) crazy about (liking, wanting something very much)

    traks uz naudu ― crazy about money

    kaķis traks uz gaļu ― the cat (is) crazy about meat

Declension

indefinite declension (nenoteiktā galotne) of traks

	masculine (vīriešu dzimte)			feminine (sieviešu dzimte)
	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)		singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	traks	traki		traka	trakas
accusative (akuzatīvs)	traku	trakus		traku	trakas
genitive (ģenitīvs)	traka	traku		trakas	traku
dative (datīvs)	trakam	trakiem		trakai	trakām
instrumental (instrumentālis)	traku	trakiem		traku	trakām
locative (lokatīvs)	trakā	trakos		trakā	trakās
vocative (vokatīvs)	—	—		—	—

Synonyms

• (of "crazy, mad, insane"): ārprātīgs, neprātīgs, vājprātīgs

Derived terms

• trakums

Related terms

• trakot