трепать

Etymology

From Old East Slavic трепати (trepati), from Proto-Slavic *trepati. Cognate with Ukrainian трепа́ти (trepáty), Belarusian трепа́ць (trjepácʹ), Slovene trépati (first singular trẹ́pljem), Czech třepat, Slovak trepať, Polish trzepać, Upper Sorbian třepać, Lower Sorbian tśepaś, tśapaś. Further cognate with Lithuanian trepsė́ti (“to stomp”), trapinė́ti (“to kick”), Old Prussian ertreppa (“to cross”), Ancient Greek τραπέω (trapéō, “to squeeze”), Latin trepidus (“agitated”), Sanskrit तृप्र (tṛprá, “unstable”), तृपल (tṛpala, “unstable”), Gothic 𐌸𐍂𐌰𐌱𐍉𐌽 (þrabōn, “to trot”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [trʲɪˈpatʲ]

Verb

трепа́ть • (trepátʹ) impf (perfective потрепа́ть)

1. (flax etc) to scutch, swingle
2. to pull about, blow about, flutter, tousle

   его́ тре́плет лихора́дка ― jevó tréplet lixorádka ― he is feverish; he is shivering with fever

   трепа́ть не́рвы кому́-нибудь ― trepátʹ nérvy komú-nibudʹ ― to fray someone's nerves

   трепа́ть язы́ком ― trepátʹ jazýkom ― 1) to twaddle; prattle;, blather; chew the fat / rag 2) to blab; blabber

   трепа́ть за во́лосы кого́-нибудь ― trepátʹ za vólosy kovó-nibudʹ ― to pull someone's hair

3. (colloquial) to wear out, fray, tear, pf — истрепа́ть (istrepátʹ)
4. to pat, pf — потрепа́ть (potrepátʹ)

   трепа́ть кого́-нибудь по плечу́ ― trepátʹ kovó-nibudʹ po plečú ― to pat someone's shoulder

5. to beat up, maul, pummel, pf — потрепа́ть (potrepátʹ)
6. to give a hard life/time, pf — потрепа́ть (potrepátʹ)
7. to mention too often, make too many references (to), hackney, pf — растрепа́ть (rastrepátʹ)

   не хо́чется трепа́ть э́то высо́кое сло́во ― ne xóčetsja trepátʹ éto vysókoje slóvo ― I wouldn't like to use this lofty word without a special reason

   по́сле э́той исто́рии его́ и́мя ста́ли трепа́ть вовсю́ ― pósle étoj istórii jevó ímja stáli trepátʹ vovsjú ― after that incident, his name became the talk of the town