[tsiɛ̂ts]
CilmeFrom Proto-Baltic *kietas, from *keitas, from Proto-Indo-European *key- (“to set in motion, to move”) with an extra (adjectivizing) suffix -to-s. A parallel form with -tyo-s (*keityas, *kietyas) yielded Latvian ciešs (“tight”). Meaning change: “moving” > “happy, safe, healthy” > “strong, rigid” > “hard.” Cognates include Lithuanian ki̇́etas, Sudovian kit, Old Prussian keytaro (“hail, greeting”), Proto-Slavic *čitъ (dialectal чи́тый (čítyj, “sober”), Serbo-Croatian čȉt (“healthy, whole”)).
- solid (having stable form)
“cieta viela, cietviela” — solid substance
“cieti ķermeņi” — solid bodies
“cietais kurināmais” — solid fuel
- hard, solid, rigid (difficult to split, crush, bend, etc.)
“ciets minerāls, metāls” — hard, solid mineral, metal
“ciets tērauds, granīts” — hard, solid steel, granite
“ciets diamants, asmens” — hard, solid diamond, blade
- hard, solid (having a layer of rock, or snow, or ice)
“cieta augsne, grunts, pļava” — hard soil, ground, meadow
“ciets māls” — hard clay
“ciets pamats” — hard, soild foundation
- hard, solid (strong, difficult to fold or bend; made of such fabric, cloth)
“ciets audekls” — solid canvas
“cieta aitāda” — hard sheepskin
“ciets zābaks” — hard boot
- usuallyhard (not soft, resistant to pressure)
“ciets dīvāns, spilvens” — hard sofa, pillow
“cieta gulta, atzveltne” — hard bed, back (of chair)
“tas krēsls man par cietu” — that chair is too hard for me
- hard (difficult to bend or break)
“citie audi” — hard tissue
“ciets kauls” — hard bone
“cieta āda” — hard skin
- hard, hardened (having strong, harsh skin)
“cietas rokas” — hard hands
“cieta plauksta” — hard palm (of hand)
- thick, strong
“cieta bārda” — thick beard
“cietas ūsas” — thick mustache
- hard (difficult to bend, squeeze, trim, prune)
“ciets koks, ozols” — hard tree, oak
“ciets stumbrs, zars” — hard trunk, branch
“ciets grauds” — hard grain
- hard (difficult to bite and chew)
“cieta gaļa, maize” — hard meat, bread
“ciets siers” — hard cheese
“cieta ola” — hard (boiled) egg
- hard, tough (strong, determined, uncompromising, ruthless)
“ciets raksturs” — hard, tough character
“cieta daba” — hard, tough nature
“cieta sirds” — hard heart (i.e., cruel, ruthless)
- hard, stiff
“kad pēc vēja brāzmas viņš pacēla seju augstāk, tā bija kļuvusi pelēki cieta ka sastingusi zeme” — when after the wind gust he raised his face, it had become gray hard, stiff like frozen ground
- hard, definite, clear, inalterable (syn. ciešs)
“ciets solījums” — solemn promise
“kluss vīru pulks... viss gvarda vārdos teikts; vien cietam zvērestam ceļ katrs roku” — the regiment of men (was) silent... all the words of the guard (oath) (were) said; every hand rose with one solemn oath
- colloquialrigid, definite, determined (which cannot be arbitrarily changed)
“cieta alga” — rigid wage, salary
“cietas cenas” — rigid prices
- hard, strong, determined
“mierigiem, cietiem soļiem viņš nāca tuvāk” — with calm, strong steps he came closer
“mātes skāviens ir karsts, ciets, izmisīgs” — mother's hug is warm, strong, desperate
- tight (syn. ciešs)
“visa nakts tad bija pavadīta cietā, veselīgā miegā” — the whole night was spent in tight, healthy sleep
- hard (which contains salts, usually of calcium and magnesium)
“ciets ūdens mazgāšanai nav derīgs” — hard water is not appropriate for washing
- strong, sharp
“jūra bija balta un ziemeļu vējš kļuva aizvien cietāks” — the sea was white and the northern wind became increasingly harder, sharper
“ja priedes tā šūpojas, tad ir vētra, ciets laiks, kā saka tēvs” — if the pines are swaying like that, then there is a storm, hard weather, as father said / used to say
- tight(ly) close, close together (syn. ciešs, cieši)
“cieti citu pie citas” — very close one by the other
Formascietais(definite) · cietāks(comparative) · viscietākais(superlative) · cieti(adverb) · ciet(adverb) · ciets(masculine, nominative, singular) · cieti(masculine, nominative, plural) · cieta(feminine, nominative, singular) · cietas(feminine, nominative, plural) · cieta(genitive, masculine, singular) · cietu(genitive, masculine, plural) · cietas(feminine, genitive, singular) · cietu(feminine, genitive, plural) · cietam(dative, masculine, singular) · cietiem(dative, masculine, plural) · cietai(dative, feminine, singular) · cietām(dative, feminine, plural) · cietu(accusative, masculine, singular) · cietus(accusative, masculine, plural) · cietu(accusative, feminine, singular)