Belarusian

Noun

лес • ‎(les) m

1. forest, woods

Bulgarian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *lěsъ ‎(“tree, forest”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɛs/

Noun

лес • ‎(les) m

1. A large and centuries-old forest.

Inflection

Synonyms

• гора ‎(gora)

Russian

Etymology

From Old East Slavic лѣсъ ‎(lěsŭ), from Proto-Slavic *lěsъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lʲes]

Noun

лес • ‎(les) m inan ‎(genitive ле́са, nominative plural леса́, genitive plural лесо́в)

1. forest, woods

   леса́‎ ― lesá ― woodland, forests

   де́вственный лес‎ ― dévstvennyj les ― virgin forest, primeval forest

   заповедный лес ‎(zapovednyj les) means:

   заповедник‎ ― zapovednik ― protection forest

   (poetic) тайный лес, священный лес, божий лес‎ ― tajnyj les, svjaščennyj les, božij les ― sacred forest, a forest that nobody may enter

   корабе́льный лес‎ ― korabélʹnyj les ― ship timber

   ли́ственный лес‎ ― lístvennyj les ― leaf-bearing forest

   сме́шанный лес‎ ― sméšannyj les ― mixed forest

   тропи́ческий лес‎ ― tropíčeskij les ― rainforest

   хво́йный лес‎ ― xvójnyj les ― coniferous forest

   чаща леса‎ ― čašča lesa ― thicket, the depths of forest

   шум леса‎ ― šum lesa ― murmur of the forest

   как в лесу́‎ (saying) ― kak v lesú ― at sea, lost, disoriented

   кто в лес, кто по дрова‎ (proverb) ― kto v les, kto po drova ― (to be) at sixes and sevens (literally: some go to the forest, some go for firewood)

   лес рубят — щепки летят‎ (proverb) ― les rubjat — ščepki letjat ― you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs (literally: when cutting trees, chips fly)

   (для него́) э́то тёмный лес‎ (saying)

   (dlja nevó) éto tjómnyj les

   (figuratively) it is all Greek (to him), (he is) completely in the dark about it (literally: this is the dark forest for him)

   (для него́) э́то дремучий лес‎ (saying)

   (dlja nevó) éto dremučij les

   (figuratively) it is all Greek (to him), (he is) completely in the dark about it (literally: this is the dark forest for him)

   в лесу́ люди лесеют, а в людях людеют‎ (proverb)

   v lesú ljudi lesejut, a v ljudjax ljudejut

   literally: in the forest people become wild, and become people among people

   чей лес, того и пень‎ (proverb)

   čej les, tovo i penʹ

   literally: the man who owns a forest, also owns a stump

   Бог и ле́су не сравня́л‎ (saying)

   Bog i lésu ne sravnjál

   literally: God doesn’t even make the forest equal (people are not equal)

2. (only singular) lumber, timber

   ле́с в плота́х‎ ― lés v plotáx ― timber float

   ле́с на корню́‎ ― lés na kornjú ― standing timber

3. (only plural) леса́ scaffolding, scaffold trestle, falsework

   леса́‎ ― lesá ― scaffolding, scaffold trestle

4. (figuratively) much, many, a lot of smth. (especially high, eminent)

   лес рук‎ ― les ruk ― a forest of hands (in school if nobody wants to answer the teacher’s question, it's used sarcastically, when nobody actually raises a hand, there is no "forest of hands", not a single "tree", i.e. hand)

   лес мачт‎ ― les mačt ― a large number of ships

   лес штыко́в‎ ― les štykóv ― forest of bayonets

Declension

Hyponyms

• (forest): березняк ‎(bereznjak), бор ‎(bor), дубрава ‎(dubrava), е́льник ‎(jélʹnik), пуща ‎(pušča), ро́ща ‎(róšča), тайга́ ‎(tajgá), ча́ща ‎(čášča)

Meronyms

• (forest): опу́шка ‎(opúška)

Related terms

See also

• де́рево ‎(dérevo)

Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lêːs/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Slavic *lěsъ ‎(“tree, forest”).

Alternative forms

• (Ijekavian) лије̑с

Noun

ле̑с m ‎(Latin spelling lȇs)

1. coffin
2. (regionally) lumber
3. (regionally) forest, woods

Declension

Etymology 2

From German Löss.

Noun

ле̑с m ‎(Latin spelling lȇs)

1. (geology) loess