сапернік

• супе́рнік (supjérnik)

Inherited from Old Ruthenian суперникъ (supernik). Compare Russian сопе́рник (sopérnik).

• IPA^(key): [saˈpʲernʲik]

сапе́рнік • (sapjérnik) m pers (genitive сапе́рніка, nominative plural сапе́рнікі, genitive plural сапе́рнікаў, female equivalent сапе́рніца, relational adjective сапе́рніцкі)

1. rival (a competitor with the same goal as another, or striving to attain the same thing)
   • 1938 [1848], Charles Dickens, anonymous translator, Домбі і сын, Minsk: ДВБ, translation of Dombey and Son, page 40:

     У гэтай прамове, сказанай вельмі велічна і ўнушальна, містэр Домбі сапраўды выкрыў патаемныя свае пачуцці. Бясконцае недавер’е да ўсякага, хто можа стаць паміж ім і яго сынам; ганарысты страх сустрэць саперніка або чалавека, з якім давядзецца дзяліць паважанне і прывязанасць хлопчыка;

     U hetaj pramóvje, skazanaj vjelʹmi vjelična i ŭnušalʹna, mister Dómbi sapraŭdy vykryŭ patajemnyja svaje pačucci. Bjaskóncaje njedavjerʺje da ŭsjakaha, xto móža stacʹ pamiž im i jahó synam; hanarysty strax sustrecʹ sapjernika abó čalavjeka, z jakim davjadzjecca dzjalicʹ pavažannje i pryvjazanascʹ xlópčyka;

     [original: In the course of these remarks, delivered with great majesty and grandeur, Mr. Dombey had truly revealed the secret feelings of his breast. An indescribable distrust of anybody stepping in between himself and his son; a haughty dread of having any rival or partner in the boy’s respect and deference;]

   • 1941 [1865], Mayne Reid, translated by Уладзімір Ляўданскі, Коннік без галавы, Minsk: ДВБ, translation of The Headless Horseman, page 107:

     Ён быў сведкай іх страсных абдымкаў. І тут у яго загарэлася жаданне ўсадзіць нож у свайго саперніка і кінуць яго мёртвым да ног каханкі, але ён не асмеліўся на гэта.

     Jon byŭ svjedkaj ix strasnyx abdymkaŭ. I tut u jahó zaharelasja žadannje ŭsadzicʹ nož u svajhó sapjernika i kinucʹ jahó mjórtvym da noh kaxanki, alje jon nje asmjeliŭsja na heta.

     [original: He was witness to that final and rapturous embrace, that caused him to strike his foot nervously against the pebbles, and make that noise that had scared the cicadas into silence. Why at that moment did he not spring forward—put a termination to the intolerable tête-à-tête—and with a blow of his bowie-knife lay his rival low—at his own feet and that of his mistress?]

     He witnessed their rapturous embrace. At that moment, a desire ignited within him—to plunge a knife into his rival and cast the lifeless body at the feet of his mistress—but he didn’t dare to act on it.

2. adversary, antagonist, opponent (one who opposes another physically in a fight, sport, game, or competition)

   Synonym: праці́ўнік (pracíŭnik)

   • 1941 [1865], Mayne Reid, translated by Уладзімір Ляўданскі, Коннік без галавы, Minsk: ДВБ, translation of The Headless Horseman, page 80:

     Пры гэтых словах маёр пакінуў збянтэжанага гаспадара таверны і паспяшаўся выйсці на вуліцу, дзе сустрэў сапернікаў, якія ўжо раней вышлі праз розныя дзверы.

     Pry hetyx slóvax majór pakinuŭ zbjantežanaha haspadara tavjerny i paspjašaŭsja vyjsci na vulicu, dzje sustreŭ sapjernikaŭ, jakija ŭžo ranjej vyšli praz róznyja dzvjery.

     [original: Without further parley the major parted from the unfortunate landlord, and hurried across the threshold into the street, whither the combatants, who had gone out by separate doors, had already preceded him.]

     With these words, the major parted from the bewildered innkeeper and hurried out into the street, where he met up with the antagonists, who had already gone out by separate doors.

3. equal, peer (somebody who is, or something that is, at a level or of a value equal to that of something else)

   Synonym: раўня́ (raŭnjá)

   • 1939 [1906], Jack London, anonymous translator, Белы клык, Minsk: ДВБ, translation of White Fang, page 137:

     Але паступова біцца прыходзілася ўсё радзей і радзей. Аматары сабачых баёў ужо страцілі надзею знайсці яму вартага суперніка, і Прыгажуну Сміту не аставалася нічога іншага, як выстаўляць супроць Белага Клыка ваўкоў.

     Alje pastupóva bicca pryxódzilasja ŭsjo radzjej i radzjej. Amatary sabačyx bajóŭ užó stracili nadzjeju znajsci jamu vartaha supjernika, i Pryhažunu Smitu nje astavalasja ničóha inšaha, jak vystaŭljacʹ suprócʹ Bjelaha Klyka vaŭkóŭ.

     [original: As the time went by, he had fewer and fewer fights. Men despaired of matching him with an equal, and Beauty Smith was compelled to pit wolves against him.]

     As the time went by, he had fewer and fewer fights. The dog-fight enthusiasts despaired of matching him with a worthy peer, and Beauty Smith was compelled to pit wolves against White Fang.

• Bulyka, A. M., editor (2013), “суперникъ”, in Гістарычны слоўнік беларускай мовы [Historical Dictionary of the Belarusian Language] (in Belarusian), numbers 33 (струна – треснутися), Minsk: Belaruskaia navuka, →ISBN, page 79
• “сапернік”, in Skarnik's Belarusian dictionary (in Belarusian), based on Kandrat Krapiva's Explanatory Dictionary of the Belarusian Language (1977-1984)
• “сапернік” in Belarusian–Russian dictionaries and Belarusian dictionaries at slounik.org