spēks

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *spēkas, from *spē- with a suffix -ko, from Proto-Indo-European *speh₁- (“to develop, to evolve, to increase”). The meaning changed from “(well) developed, big, fat” to “stout, strong”, i.e., for the nominal form, “strength,” “force.” Cognates include Lithuanian spė̃kas, spėkà,^[1] Albanian fuqi.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [spæ̀ːks]

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Noun

spēks m (1st declension)

(physics) force (physical quantity describing the interaction of bodies whereby they undergo acceleration or deformation)
Zemes pievilkšanas spēks ― the Earth's attraction force, gravity

gravitācijas, berzes spēks ― gravitational, attrition force

centrbēdzes, centrtieces spēks ― centrifugal, centripetal force

spēka lauks ― force field

spēka pielikšanas punkts ― force application point

pielikt spēku ― to apply a force
(of people, animals) force, strength, power (capacity to carry out (especially physical) actions or motion)
fiziskais spēks ― physical strength

taupīt spēku ― to spare, to save strength, power

uzkrāt spēku ― to accumulate strength, power

nav spēka piecelties ― (s/he) doesn't have the strength to get up

izsmelt (visus) spēkus ― to exhaust (all) (one's) forces, strength

pēdējiem spēkiem sasniegt krastu ― to reach the coast with (one's) last strength
(of people's behavior) (physical) force, coercion, violence
viņa ar spēku izrāva Mārim no rokām meitas fotogrāfiju ― she snatched the girl's photograph from Māris' hands by force

jūs uzvaru redzat tikai spēkā; bet saprāta uzvara, kur tad paliek tā? ― you see only victory in violence; but the victory of reason, where is it then?
strength, power (of mental processes: mental features that support or strengthen their expression)
garīgais, morālais spēks ― spiritual, moral strength

gribas spēks, gribasspēks ― willpower

iekšējs, dvēseles spēks ― inner, soul strength

negaidīti aktrise atrada sevī lielu speku, tuvojoties varonības robežai ― unexpectedly, the actress found in herself intense strength, verging on heroism
(of laws) force (legal validity, power)
likuma spēks ― force of law, legal force

būr, palikt, uzturēt spēkā ― to be, to remain, to keep in force

stāties spēkā ― to come into force
force, power, strength (capacity or power to influence, to persuade, to make something happen)
personības spēks ― strength of personality

ieraduma spēks ― force of habit

vārda spēks ― the power of the word

mākslas spēks ― the power of art

dažādu ar valdībām nesaistīto organizāciju pretkara kustība ieguvusi milzīgu spēku ― various non-governmental organizations' anti-war movement has gained enormous power, strength
(chiefly in the plural) forces (a group within society, united by a common feature)
demokrātiskie, revolucinārie spēki ― democratic, revolutionary forces
(chiefly plural; of professionals, soldier, etc.) forces (people united by a goal, ideal, task)
teātra jaunie spēki ― new young forces of theater

mākslinieciskie spēki ― artistic forces

bruņotie spēki ― armed forces

karaspēks' ― armed forces, (national) army, troops

starptautisko spēku samērs ― international balance of forces, power

Declension

Declension of spēks (1st declension)

	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	spēks	spēki
accusative (akuzatīvs)	spēku	spēkus
genitive (ģenitīvs)	spēka	spēku
dative (datīvs)	spēkam	spēkiem
instrumental (instrumentālis)	spēku	spēkiem
locative (lokatīvs)	spēkā	spēkos
vocative (vokatīvs)	spēk	spēki

Derived terms

References

^ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “spēks”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎^[1] (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

[1] Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “spēks”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎^[1] (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

[1]