blīvs

A 20th-century derivation by back-formation from the adverb blīviski (“densely”), short form blīvi, itself a 19th-century derivation from the verb blīvēt (“to pack tightly, to make dense”), an 18th-century borrowing from Low German flīen, Middle Low German vlīen or Middle Dutch vlijen (“to order, stack, lay down in layers”).^[1]

• IPA^(key): [blīːws]

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blīvs (definite blīvais, comparative blīvāks, superlative visblīvākais, adverb blīvi)

1. dense, compact, thick (such that its parts are tight, very close to each other)

   blīva viela ― dense, thick substance, material

   blīva masa ― dense mass

   blīva augsne ― compact soil

2. tight, solid, compact, dense (without gaps; pressed, pulled tight, fitting tightly)

   blīvs audums ― solid, continuous fabric

   blīvs spraugu pildījums ― solid, dense gap filling

   logs bija aizklāts ar blīvu aizkaru, un ne mazākais saules stariņš neiespīdēja istabā ― the window was covered with a heavy, tight curtain; not even the slightest ray of sunshine could get into the room

   beidzot vāvere uzliek ligzdai pamatīgu, blīvu lapu jumtu, lai nesūktos cauri lietus ― finally the squirrel made for (his) nest a roof of dense, compact leaves, so that the rain wouldn't leak through (it)

3. dense, packed (where living beings are very close to each other)

   blīva drūzma ― dense, packed crowd

   pavasaros uz Sahalīnas piekrasti dodas tik blīvi siļķu bari, ka uz zivju mugurām stāv kaijas ― in spring such tight, packed herring schools come to the coast of Sakhalin that [seagulls can] stand on the backs of the fish

   rudeņos blīvā straumē ceļo uz dienvidiem žubītes un citi sīkie putni ― in autumn finches and other small birds travel south in a dense stream

• blīvums