läska
Swedish
Etymology
From Low German leschen (“to extinguish”) and related to modern Dutch lessen and modern German löschen. According to Svenska Akademiens ordbok the original meaning has been "to make something lay down" and related to ligga (“to lie”). See also Danish læske. The noun is first attested in writing in 1644[1] and is described as a verbal noun derived from läska, which is attested from 1559.[2]
Pronunciation
Noun
läska c
- (archaic) Coolness
- 1664, Romble Salé, Then frantzöske kocken och pasteybakaren, p. 54.
- För them som brinna mycket inwertes och hafwa myckin letzsko aff nöden.
- For those who burn much inside and have have in need of coolness.
- För them som brinna mycket inwertes och hafwa myckin letzsko aff nöden.
- 1664, Romble Salé, Then frantzöske kocken och pasteybakaren, p. 54.
- (archaic) The state of something its thirst quenched or being refreshed.
- 1849, Richard Dybeck, Runa: Svenska fornsamlingar, p. 11:
- En vederqvickande läska.
- A invigorating refreshment.
- En vederqvickande läska.
- 1849, Richard Dybeck, Runa: Svenska fornsamlingar, p. 11:
Verb
läska (present läskar, preterite läskade, supine läskat, imperative läska)
- to quench thirst, usually reflexive.
- Vi läskade oss med kall citronsaft.
- We quenched our thirst with cold lemonade.
- Vi läskade oss med kall citronsaft.
- (archaic) to dry with absorbent paper (blotting paper); to blot.
- 1910, Hjalmar Bergman, Hans nåds testamente, p. 279:
- Hans nåd lade ifrån sig pennan, läskade arket.
- His Grace laid down his pen, [and] blotted the sheet.
- Hans nåd lade ifrån sig pennan, läskade arket.
- 1910, Hjalmar Bergman, Hans nåds testamente, p. 279:
- (archaic, military) to cool down or to clean out the barrel of a gun from oil, gunpowder residue, etc.
Usage notes
- Läskande, the present participle of definition 1, can be used as an adjective when describing refreshing food or drink.
Conjugation
Conjugation of läska (weak)
| Active | Passive | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infinitive | läska | — | ||
| Supine | läskat | — | ||
| Imperative | läska | — | ||
| Imper. plural1 | läsken | — | ||
| Present | Past | Present | Past | |
| Indicative | läskar | läskade | — | — |
| Ind. plural1 | läska | läskade | — | — |
| Subjunctive2 | läske | läskade | — | — |
| Participles | ||||
| Present participle | läskande | |||
| Past participle | läskad | |||
| 1 Archaic. 2 Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs. | ||||