kauns

See also: Kauns

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *kaunas, from Proto-Indo-European *kau-no-s, from the stem *kaw- (“to humiliate”), which may be related to *kew- (“to bend, to bow”). Cognates include Lithuanian kūvė́ties (“to feel ashamed”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌽𐍃 (hauns, “low, depressed”), Old High German hōnida (“shame, dishonor”), German Hohn (“mocking”), Ancient Greek καυνός (kaunós, “bad, ugly”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kàwns]

• Audio:

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Noun

kauns m (1st declension)

1. shame (moral feeling associated with discomfort felt as a consequence of some (offensive) act, action)

   pārņemt kauns ― to take, accept the shame

   raudāt aiz kauna ― to cry of shame

   nosarkt aiz kauna ― to blush from shame

   izjust dziļu kaunu ― to feel deep shame

   pārdzīvot lielu kaunu ― to experience great shame

   aiz kauna nezināt ko darīt ― to not know what to do from shame

   seja deg kaunā ― (his) face is burning in shame

   nu pašam man par sevi kauns ― I feel ashamed of myself

2. shame (unpleasant feeling caused by a certain situation, or by (one's or someone else's) inappropriate action, behavior)

   kauns rādīt asaras ― ashamed (lit. shame) to shed tears

   kauns lūgt palīdzību ― ashamed (lit. shame) to ask for help

   kauns par netīro apģērbu ― ashamed (lit. shame) of (one's) dirty clothes

   kā tev nav kauna? ― aren't you ashamed (lit. how have you no shame)?

   vai tev nemaz nav kauna, Ines? ― have you no shame at all, Ines?

   kauns rādīties (kādam) acīs ― ashamed (lit. shame) to show oneself in front of (lit. in the eyes of) someone

   es saprotu, tev kauns, ka man ir bērns no cita; tev ir bail, ka cilvēki varbūt smiesies ― I understand, you are ashamed (lit. have shame) that I have a child from another (man); you are afraid that people will maybe laugh

3. shame, disgrace, dishonor (condition in which one feels or causes shame)

   piedzīvot kaunu ― to experience shame

   uzskatīt kaunu ― to consider (something) a shame

   izdzīt ar kaunu ― to cast (someone) out in shame'

   kauna pilna rīcība ― shameful (lit. shame-filled) behavior

   (pa)darīt kaunu (kādam) ― to cause (someone) shame

   kauna stabs ― pillory (lit. shame post)

   kauna zīme ― sign of shame

4. (usually genitive, used adjectivally) shameful, morally negative

   kauna darbs ― shameful work, mean act

   kauna lieta ― shameful matter, disgrace

   kauna traips ― blemish (lit. shameful spot)

5. (used as an interjection) what a shame!

   kauns, staltais daugavieti! ― what a shame, (my) tall Daugavian!

6. shame, shyness, timidity

   atmest kaunu ― to throw away, to abandon shame

   par to, ko aiz neziņas kādreiz vai kauna projām dzinām, par to, ko aiz pierastības neatzinām ― about that which we sometimes drive away because of ignorance or shame, about that which we because of habit do not acknowledge

Declension

Declension of kauns (1st declension)

	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	kauns	—
accusative (akuzatīvs)	kaunu	—
genitive (ģenitīvs)	kauna	—
dative (datīvs)	kaunam	—
instrumental (instrumentālis)	kaunu	—
locative (lokatīvs)	kaunā	—
vocative (vokatīvs)	kaun	—

Synonyms

• (of "shyness"): kautrīgums, kautrība

Derived terms

• bezkaunīgs, bezkaunīgums, bezkaunība
• bezkauņa
• nekaunīgs, nekaunīgums, nekaunība
• nekauņa
• kaunīgs, kaunīgums

Related terms

• kaunēties