modrs

Etymology

From the same stem as verb most (“to wake up”) (< *muod-ti), with an extra -r: *muod-ra-s > modrs. A parallel form without the -r yielded možs (q.v.). In the 17th century, modrs had the meaning of “wise, intelligent,” now gudrs; the current meaning became dominant in the 18th century. Cognates include Lithuanian mañdras, mandrùs (“vigilant, alert; smart, wise, cunning; proud, arrogant”), Old Church Slavonic мѫдръ (mǫdrŭ, “wise”), Russian мудрый (múdryj), Bulgarian мъдър (mǎ́dǎr), Czech moudrý, Polish mądry, Old High German muntar (“quick, lively, alert”), German munter (“lively, cheerful, awake”)^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [muôdɾs]

Adjective

modrs (definite modrais, comparative modrāks, superlative vismodrākais, adverb modri)

1. vigilant, watchful, alert (who carefully, without interruptions, observes or watches over something; expressing this behavior)

   modrs naktssargs ― vigilant night watchman

   modrs mednieks ― watchful, alert hunter

   modras acis ― watchful eyes

   mums vienmēr jābūt modriem, lai ienaidnieks nekad mūs nevarētu pārsteigt ― we must always be vigilant, so that the enemy will never be able to surprise us

   Maija stāvēja modra kā stirna, kas, saklausījusi biezoknī brīkšķi, sasprindzina dzirdi, lai samanītu, kas tur ir ― Maija stood alert like a deer who, having heard something snap in the bushes, turns its ears, trying to find out who is there

   suns pašreiz mierīgi tupēja un vēroja gūstekni, bet, tikko viņš gribēja pagrozīties, modrais sargs iekaucās ― the dog sat quietly and watched over the prisoner, but, as soon as he wanted to move, the watchful guard (dog) began to howl

2. active, busy, lively

   viņa bija modra, šaudījās no viena pagalma stūra otrā... un izrīkoja katru, kas pagadījās ceļā ― she was active, busy, she rushed from one corner of the courtyard to the other and put to work everyone who happened to be on (her) way

   kaut mana dvēsele būtu mūžīgi modra kā strauts! ― if only my soul were always active, lively like a stream!

   kaut gan sešdesmit gadu jau aizlaisti pār galvu, viņa vēl vienmēr ir cēla un stalta, ar modrām, tumšzilām acīm, kuras vecums nav paspējis saduļķot ― although sixty years have already passed over (her) head, she is still always proud and tall, with active, lively dark blue eyes that age has not been able to muddy

References