ēst

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eat, have a meal, feed on, eat away, devour
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/ˈæːst/
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+1
To take something in or wear it down, literally as food and figuratively through repeated pressure.
Practice using ēst in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Kāpēc tu viņu atkal ēd?
    Why are you picking on him again?
  • Kāpuri ēd jaunās kāpostu lapas.
    The caterpillars eat the young cabbage leaves.
  • Mežā kukaiņi sāka ēst kailās rokas.
    In the forest, insects began biting bare arms.
  • Rūsa lēnām ēd veco žogu.
    Rust slowly eats away at the old fence.
  • Gliemeži naktī ēda salātus.
    The slugs ate the lettuce at night.

Similar words

noēst
ieēst
tirdīt
ieturēt maltīti
paēst
kritizēt
uzkost
deldēt
baudīt
saēst

Meanings

Consume food or take a meal

verb
food
neutral
To put food in the mouth, chew and swallow it, or more broadly to have a meal.

Examples

  • Es katru rītu ēdu auzu pārslu putru.
    I eat oatmeal every morning.
  • Bērni labprāt ēd svaigas zemenes.
    The children gladly eat fresh strawberries.
  • Mēs vakar ēdām vakariņas uz terases.
    We ate dinner on the terrace yesterday.
  • Vai tu jau ēdi pusdienas?
    Have you had lunch yet?
  • Ārsts ieteica ēst vairāk dārzeņu.
    The doctor advised eating more vegetables.

Similar words

mieloties
ieturēt maltīti
paēst
uzkost
ieēst
baudīt

Feed on and damage living material

verb
nature
neutral
For an animal or pest to consume a plant, fabric or other material, often damaging or destroying it.

Examples

  • Kāpuri ēd jaunās kāpostu lapas.
    The caterpillars eat the young cabbage leaves.
  • Gliemeži naktī ēda salātus.
    The slugs ate the lettuce at night.
  • Spradži ēd redīsu lapās caurumus.
    Flea beetles eat holes in radish leaves.
  • Kodes kāpuri ēd vilnas šķiedras.
    Moth larvae eat wool fibres.
  • Kaitēkļi var ēst augu līdz pašai saknei.
    Pests can eat a plant down to the root.

Similar words

grauzt
noēst
saēst
apgrauzt

Bite or sting repeatedly

verb
insects
informal
For mosquitoes, horseflies or similar insects to bite a person or animal repeatedly.

Examples

  • Vakarā odi mani ļoti ēda.
    The mosquitoes bit me badly in the evening.
  • Pie upes dunduri ēd bez žēlastības.
    Horseflies bite without mercy by the river.
  • Melnās mušas ēda pārgājiena dalībnieku kājas.
    Blackflies bit the hikers’ legs.
  • Tevi arī ēd knišļi?
    Are the gnats biting you too?
  • Mežā kukaiņi sāka ēst kailās rokas.
    In the forest, insects began biting bare arms.

Similar words

kost
dzelt

Wear away or corrode

verb
materials
informal
For rust, acid, friction or another process to damage material gradually by corroding, dissolving or wearing it away.

Examples

  • Rūsa lēnām ēd veco žogu.
    Rust slowly eats away at the old fence.
  • Skābe ēd metāla virsmu.
    Acid corrodes the metal surface.
  • Sāļais ūdens ēda kuģa korpusu.
    Salt water ate away at the ship’s hull.
  • Berze ēd riepu gumiju.
    Friction wears away the tyre rubber.
  • Mitrums gadiem ēdis koka sijas.
    Moisture has eaten away at the wooden beams for years.

Similar words

saēst
noēst
korodēt
grauzt
deldēt

Nag or harass continually

verb
relationships
informal
To criticize, pressure or bother someone repeatedly, especially about the same fault or demand.

Examples

  • Priekšnieks mani visu dienu ēda par kavējumu.
    The boss nagged me all day about being late.
  • Beidz mani ēst par šo kļūdu!
    Stop nagging me about this mistake!
  • Viņa dēlu pastāvīgi ēd par sliktajām atzīmēm.
    She constantly criticizes her son for his poor grades.
  • Kāpēc tu viņu atkal ēd?
    Why are you picking on him again?
  • Kolēģi mani ēda, līdz pabeidzu atskaiti.
    My colleagues pestered me until I finished the report.

Similar words

zāģēt
bakstīt
tirdīt
tramīt
kritizēt
uzmākties

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ēstei, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ed- “to eat”, and cognate with Lithuanian ėsti, German essen, and English eat.

FAQ

What does ēst mean?

Its central meaning is “to eat” or “to have a meal”; it can also describe pests, biting insects, erosion and persistent nagging.

How is ēst conjugated in the present and past?

The third-person present is ēd and the third-person past is ēda; the first-person singular is ēdu in both tenses.

What does jāēd mean?

Jāēd is the debitive form and means “must eat” or “need to eat”.

Can ēst mean to corrode?

Yes. Informally, rust, acid, friction or moisture can ēst material by wearing or corroding it away.

Can ēst describe nagging?

Yes. In informal speech, ēst someone means to criticize, pester or pressure that person repeatedly.

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