zīst

The traditional approach derives this word from an earlier *žinsti, from Proto-Baltic *žind-ti, from *žind-, from the reduced form *ǵendʰ, *ǵ(e)ndʰ- of Proto-Indo-European *ǵenədʰ- (“jaw, chin”), whence also Latvian zods (“chin”), Lithuanian žándas (“chin, jaw, cheek”). In this case, the original meaning would have been related to “cheek, jaw,” from which “to suckle.” A more recent theory suggests a connection between zīst and Ancient Greek νεογιλλός (neogillós, “newborn; young, new”) (< *neo-gid-los), both presumably from Proto-Indo-European *ǵeid- (“to suckle”). In either case, cognates include Lithuanian žįsti.^[1]

• IPA^(key): [zîst]

zīst (transitive or intransitive, 1st conjugation, present zīžu, zīd, zīž, past zīdu)

1. to suck, to suckle (to press a female nipple with one's lips and tongue, so that it produces milk; to drink the milk so produced)

   zīst māti ― to suckle (one's) mother (i.e., to suckle milk from one's mother's breast)

   bērns zīž krūti ― the child suckles the breast

   kaķēns vēl nezīž ― the kitten doesn't suckle yet

   jēri metas zīst ― the lambs rushed to suckle

   trīs mazi ezēni zīda māti, sagulušies rindā kā sivēni ― three little hedgehogs suckled (their) mother, lying in a row like piglets

2. to suck, to suckle (to take something into one's mouth and make sucking movements)

   zīst ķepu, pirkstu ― to suck(le) (one's) paw, finger

   bērni visbiežāk zīž pirkstus pirms iemigšanas un pēc pamošanās ― children most often suck (their) fingers before sleep or after waking up

3. (colloquial) to smoke (a pipe, a cigarette, etc.) slowly

   pēdējo smēķa galiņu zīzdams, Klucis noskatīja daudz neveiklāko Modri ― sucking the last tip of (his) cigarette, Klucis looked at the much clumsier Modris

• (of sucking in general): sūkt, sūkāt

prefixed verbs:

• zīdainis, zīdaine
• zīdīt, zīdītājs, zīdītāja
• (rare term) zīdināt

zīst

1. third-person singular/plural present indicative of zīt
2. (with the particle lai) third-person singular imperative of zīt
3. (with the particle lai) third-person plural imperative of zīt