# traks
## Latvian
### Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *trek-, *trak-, from Proto-Indo-European *terk-, *trek- (“to turn”), from the stem *ter- (“to turn; to rub, to grate (by turning); to drill, to pierce”). The meaning probably evolved from “turning, drilling” to “moving quickly” ( > “aggressively”) to “crazy, mad.” Cognates include Lithuanian trãkas (“crazy; quick, fast”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [tɾaks]
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### Adjective

traks (definite trakais, comparative trakāks, superlative vistrakākais, adverb traki)
* (of animals) mad, rabid (affected with rabies)
    traks suns ― mad dog (i.e., dog with rabies)
    vesels vilks cilvēkam neuzbrūk, taču vilki saslimst ar trakumsērgu un to arī pārnēsā; tādēļ ir gadījumi, kad traki vilki stipri sakoduši cilvēkus ― a healthy wolf does not attack a person, but wolves (can) get sick with rabies and transmit it; because of this, there are cases in which mad wolves have severely bitten people
* (colloquial) mad, crazy, insane (having mental, psychological problems; behaving as one who has lost his mind; expressing such condition)
    strādā kā traks ― (he) works like mad (= very intensively)
    trako krekls ― mad ones' shirt (= straitjacket)
    trako māja, trako nams ― mad ones' house (= psychiatric hospital)
    un, kad viņš apprecējās ar latvieti, tad radi pasludinājuši baronu par traku un ielikuši klīnikā ― and, when he got married to a Latvian woman, then (his) relatives declared that the baron was crazy and put him in a clinic
    nepieminiet man Galileju un Kepleru, kungs! tie vīri ir traki! viņi apgalvo, ka zeme griežoties, lai gan mēs katru mirkli jūtam, ka tā stāv kā pienaglota ― don't mention Galileo and Kepler to me, sir! these men are crazy! they affirm that the earth turns, although we feel every minute that it stands (= remains motionless) as if nailed
    Edgars nezina, ko iesākt; nāk virsū traka nervozitāte... uztraukts viņš staigā pa dzīvokli ― Edgars doesn't know what to say; a crazy nervousness came to him... excitedly he walked around in the apartment
* crazy (which acts, behaves, speaks very loud, making noise, being fast, unrestrained; such that it expresses such behavior)
    traka deja ― crazy dance
    traka raudāšana ― crazy crying
    pēkšņi aprima pat paši trakākie pļāpas un skaļākie ņirgas ― suddenly even the craziest talks and loudest gossips were silent
    kaprālis sagatavojās trakākam bļāvienam šovakar; pavēra jau muti ― the corporal prepared a crazier yell tonight; he has already opened (his) mouth'
    tas ir tāds traks vecums; līdz astoņpadsmit ― that is such a crazy age; until eighteen
* crazy (daring, reckless, careless; aggressive, turbulent)
    traks braucējs ― crazy driver
    traks skrējiens ― crazy race
    traka ideja ― crazy idea
    tikko pienākušie vīrieši laikam stāstīja agrākajiem par Brīviņu kunga trako braucienu ― recently arrived men were maybe telling the early (people) about Mr Brīviņš' crazy trip
    uznāk traka vēlēšanās aplikt roku ap meitenes pleciem, noskūpstīt ― there came a crazy desire to put (his) arm around the girl's shoulders, to kiss her
    Zigis savaldīja trako, neiebraukto ķēvi ― Zigis restrained the crazy, untamed mare
* (colloquial) crazy (very strong, very intense)
    traka ēstgriba ― crazy appetite
    traka peļņa ― crazy (= very big) profits
    bija traka vēlme tikai pieskarties, piedurt pirkstu klavierēm ― (he) had a crazy desire to touch, to rub (his) fingers on the piano
* crazy (very intense, very powerful, having strong effects)
    trakās krāsās izkrāsotas mašīnas ― cars painted in crazy colors
* crazy (very strong, very powerful, possibly destructive)
    diena bija karsta kā pašā trakākajā jūlijā ― the day was hot as in the craziest (= hottest) July
    laiva tuvojās krācēm; vēl brīdi, un viņi būs ierauti trakā virpulī ― the boat was approaching the rapids; one more moment, and they would be dragged into the crazy vortex, whirlpool
* (in its adverbial form, as an intensifier) crazily; very, very much, terribly
    traki dārgs ― very expensive
    traki skaists ― very beautiful
    viņš liekas traki gudrs vīrs, taisni tāds, kā mums vajadzīgs ― he seems (to be) a very wise/smart man, exactly what we need
    un tev tik traki gribas aizdot? ― do you (really) feel so much like lending (money)?
* (in its adverbial form, with būt “to be”) crazy (unexpected; undesirable; unpleasant)
    Krauklis iesaucas: “sieva, nu ir traki: pagalmā bruņoti vīri!” ― Krauklis shouted: “wife, now it's crazy: in the yard (there are) armed men!”
* (with uz (“on; about”)) crazy about (liking, wanting something very much)
    traks uz naudu ― crazy about money
    kaķis traks uz gaļu ― the cat (is) crazy about meat

#### Synonyms

* (of "crazy, mad, insane"): ārprātīgs, neprātīgs, vājprātīgs

#### Derived terms

* trakums

#### Related terms

* trakot

### References

* ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “traks”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎ (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN