лес

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *lěsъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lʲes]

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

лес • (ljes) m

1. forest, woods

References

• “лес” in slounik.org

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *lěsъ (“tree, forest”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɛs/

Noun

лес • (les) m

1. A large and centuries-old forest.

Etymology

From Old East Slavic лѣсъ (lěsŭ), from Proto-Slavic *lěsъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lʲes]

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

лес • (les) m inan (genitive ле́са, nominative plural леса́, genitive plural лесо́в)

1. forest, woods

   леса́ ― lesá ― woodland, forests

   де́вственный лес ― dévstvennyj les ― virgin forest, primeval forest

   заповедный лес (zapovednyj les) means:

   заповедник ― zapovednik ― protection forest

   тайный лес, священный лес, божий лес (poetic) ― tajnyj les, svjaščennyj les, božij les ― sacred forest, a forest that nobody may enter

   корабе́льный лес ― korabélʹnyj les ― ship timber

   ли́ственный лес ― lístvennyj les ― leaf-bearing forest

   сме́шанный лес ― sméšannyj les ― mixed forest

   тропи́ческий лес ― tropíčeskij les ― rainforest

   хво́йный лес ― xvójnyj les ― coniferous forest

   чаща леса ― čašča lesa ― thicket, the depths of forest

   шум леса ― šum lesa ― murmur of the forest

   как в лесу́ (saying) ― kak v lesú ― at sea, lost, disoriented

   кто в лес, кто по дрова (proverb) ― kto v les, kto po drova ― (to be) at sixes and sevens (literally, “some go to the forest, some go for firewood”)

   лес рубят — щепки летят (proverb) ― les rubjat — ščepki letjat ― you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs (literally, “when cutting trees, chips fly”)

   (для него́) э́то тёмный лес (saying, figuratively) ― (dlja nevó) éto tjómnyj les ― it is all Greek (to him), (he is) completely in the dark about it (literally, “this is the dark forest for him”)

   (для него́) э́то дремучий лес (saying, figuratively) ― (dlja nevó) éto dremučij les ― it is all Greek (to him), (he is) completely in the dark about it (literally, “this is the dark forest for him”)

   в лесу́ люди лесеют, а в людях людеют (proverb) ― v lesú ljudi lesejut, a v ljudjax ljudejut ― (please add an English translation of this usage example) (literally, “in the forest people become wild, and become people among people”)

   чей лес, того и пень (proverb) ― čej les, tovo i penʹ ― (please add an English translation of this usage example) (literally, “the man who owns a forest, also owns a stump”)

   Бог и ле́су не сравня́л (saying) ― Bog i lésu ne sravnjál ― people are not equal (literally, “God doesn’t even make the forest equal”)

2. (only singular) lumber, timber

   ле́с в плота́х ― lés v plotáx ― timber float

   ле́с на корню́ ― lés na kornjú ― standing timber

3. (only plural) леса́ scaffolding, scaffold trestle, falsework

   леса́ ― lesá ― scaffolding, scaffold trestle

4. (figuratively) much, many, a lot of smth. (especially high, eminent)

   лес рук ― les ruk ― a forest of hands (in school if nobody wants to answer the teacher’s question, it's used sarcastically, when nobody actually raises a hand, there is no "forest of hands", not a single "tree", i.e. hand)

   лес мачт ― les mačt ― a large number of ships

   лес штыко́в ― les štykóv ― forest of bayonets

See also

• де́рево (dérevo)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lêːs/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Slavic *lěsъ (“tree, forest”).

Etymology 2

From German Löss.