Dutch

Verb

liegt

1. second- and third-person singular present indicative of liegen
2. (archaic) plural imperative of liegen

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /liːkt/ (standard)
• IPA^(key): /liːçt/ (northern and central Germany; chiefly colloquial)
• Homophone: leakt (not according to the regional pronunciation)

Verb

liegt

1. Third-person singular present of liegen.
2. Second-person plural present of liegen.
3. Imperative plural of liegen.

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *lieg-, from Proto-Indo-European *leig- ‎(“to bend, to twist”) from *ley- ‎(“to bend, to incline”) (whence also leja, q.v.) with an extra g. The original meaning was probably “to bend,” from which “to bend (so as to avoid),” then “to refuse,” “to deny” (cf. the reflexive form liegties, which still has similar meanings), then finally “to not allow, to prohibit.” It is possible that the reflexive form (or a derived form like aizliegt) served as a bridge, changing its meaning first and then affecting that of the non-reflexive liegt. Cognates include Lithuanian líegti ‎(“to be very sick, weakened”), nulíegti ‎(“to become tired”).^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [liɛ̂kt]

Verb

liegt tr., 1st conj., pres. liedzu, liedz, liedz, past liedzu

1. to refuse, to reject, to deny (a request, an offer, a right, the truth, etc.)

   liegt pabalstu‎ ― to deny (someone) benefits, an allowance

   viņš sev nekā neliedz‎ ― he doesn't refuse himself anything

   kādēļ viņš tik stūrgalvīgi liedza savu vainu?‎ ― why did he deny his guilt so stubbornly?

   viņš pie darba bija gribējis palīdzēt, bet tēvs liedza‎ ― he had wanted to help with the work, but (his) father refused

   visu šo laiku nopūlējusies, lai saņemtu atļauju dēla pārvešanai... ārsti liedzot‎ ― all this time she had struggled to obtain a transfer permit for her son... (with) the doctors denying it

   bet naktsmājas taču mums neliegsiet?‎ ― but surely you won't refuse us lodging for the night?

2. to not allow, to hinder, to prevent (something from happening)

   pilsētā nami liedz skrējienu brīvajam vējam‎ ― in the city, the buildings prevent the wind from running (= blowing) freely

   aizspriedumi lauku sievietēm liedza piedalīties sabiedriskos pasākumos‎ ― prejudice prevented country women from participating in public events

3. (dated) to not allow to marry, to not give in marriage

   un tad tu man Kristīnes neliegsi?‎ ― so you will not deny me Kristīne (= not prevent me from marrying Kristīne)?

Conjugation

Derived terms

prefixed verbs:

• aizliegt
• noliegt

other derived terms

• liegties
• liegums

References

1. ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “liegt”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, ISBN 9984-700-12-7