lau

See also: Appendix:Variations of "lau"

English

Verb

lau (third-person singular simple present laus, present participle lauing, simple past and past participle laued)

(Polari) To place upon; to put down onto.

Anagrams

Ula, Lua, Aul, UAL, aul, -ual, ULA, LUA, ALU, alu

Aromanian

Alternative forms

alau

Etymology

From Latin lavō. Compare Romanian la, lau.

Verb

lau first-singular present indicative (third-person singular present indicative la, past participle latã)

to wash
(reflexive, mi-lau) to wash oneself

Synonyms

spel, aspel

Related terms

Basque

**Basque numbers ^(edit)**
	40
← 3	4	5 →
Cardinal: lau Ordinal: laugarren Multiplier: laukoitz Distributive: launa Collective: laukote Fractional: laurden

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /lau̯/ [lau̯]
Audio: (file)
Rhymes: -au̯
Hyphenation: lau

Etymology 1

From Proto-Basque *lanu, from Latin plānum.

Adjective

lau (comparative lauago, superlative lauen, excessive lauegi)

flat, level
plain, simple

Declension

Declension of lau (adjective, ending in vowel)

		indefinite	singular	plural
absolutive		lau	laua	lauak
ergative		lauk	lauak	lauek
dative		lauri	lauari	lauei
genitive		lauren	lauaren	lauen
comitative		laurekin	lauarekin	lauekin
causative		laurengatik	lauarengatik	lauengatik
benefactive		laurentzat	lauarentzat	lauentzat
instrumental		lauz	lauaz	lauez
inessive	anim.	laurengan	lauarengan	lauengan
inessive	inanim.	lautan	lauan	lauetan
locative	anim.	—	—	—
locative	inanim.	lautako	lauko	lauetako
allative	anim.	laurengana	lauarengana	lauengana
allative	inanim.	lautara	laura	lauetara
terminative	anim.	laurenganaino	lauarenganaino	lauenganaino
terminative	inanim.	lautaraino	lauraino	lauetaraino
directive	anim.	laurenganantz	lauarenganantz	lauenganantz
directive	inanim.	lautarantz	laurantz	lauetarantz
destinative	anim.	laurenganako	lauarenganako	lauenganako
destinative	inanim.	lautarako	laurako	lauetarako
ablative	anim.	laurengandik	lauarengandik	lauengandik
ablative	inanim.	lautatik	lautik	lauetatik
partitive		laurik	—	—
prolative		lautzat	—	—

Adverb

lau (comparative lauago, superlative lauen, excessive lauegi)

simply

Noun

lau inan

plain (an open, grassy, mostly treeless land)

Declension

Declension of lau (inanimate, ending in vowel)

	indefinite	singular	plural
absolutive	lau	laua	lauak
ergative	lauk	lauak	lauek
dative	lauri	lauari	lauei
genitive	lauren	lauaren	lauen
comitative	laurekin	lauarekin	lauekin
causative	laurengatik	lauarengatik	lauengatik
benefactive	laurentzat	lauarentzat	lauentzat
instrumental	lauz	lauaz	lauez
inessive	lautan	lauan	lauetan
locative	lautako	lauko	lauetako
allative	lautara	laura	lauetara
terminative	lautaraino	lauraino	lauetaraino
directive	lautarantz	laurantz	lauetarantz
destinative	lautarako	laurako	lauetarako
ablative	lautatik	lautik	lauetatik
partitive	laurik	—	—
prolative	lautzat	—	—

Etymology 2

From Proto-Basque *lauR (“four”). Often compared with Iberian lau(r) (“four”) and Aquitanian *laur-, present in numerous compounds, such as *laurco, *laurina and in the toponym *Laureiereta (“Four Mills”).^[1]^[2]^[3] Possibly related to labur.

Numeral

lau

four

Usage notes

The declension of the plural forms changes when used as a pronoun. This is not currently reflected in the table below.

Declension

Declension of lau (numeral, ending in vowel)

		indefinite	singular	plural
absolutive		lau	laua	lauak, laurak
ergative		lauk	lauak	lauek, laurek
dative		lauri	lauari	lauei, laurei
genitive		lauren	lauaren	lauen, lauren
comitative		laurekin	lauarekin	lauekin, laurekin
causative		laurengatik	lauarengatik	lauengatik, laurengatik
benefactive		laurentzat	lauarentzat	lauentzat, laurentzat
instrumental		lauez, laurez	lauaz	lauez, laurez
inessive	anim.	laurengan	lauarengan	lauengan, laurengan
inessive	inanim.	lautan	lauan	lauetan, lauretan
locative	anim.	—	—	—
locative	inanim.	lautako	lauko	lauetako, lauretako
allative	anim.	laurengana	lauarengana	lauengana, laurengana
allative	inanim.	lautara	laura	lauetara, lauretara
terminative	anim.	laurenganaino	lauarenganaino	lauenganaino, laurenganaino
terminative	inanim.	lautaraino	lauraino	lauetaraino, lauretaraino
directive	anim.	laurenganantz	lauarenganantz	lauenganantz, laurenganantz
directive	inanim.	lautarantz	laurantz	lauetarantz, lauretarantz
destinative	anim.	laurenganako	lauarenganako	lauenganako, laurenganako
destinative	inanim.	lautarako	laurako	lauetarako, lauretarako
ablative	anim.	laurengandik	lauarengandik	lauengandik, laurengandik
ablative	inanim.	lautatik	lautik	lauetatik, lauretatik
partitive		laurik	—	—
prolative		lautzat	—	—

References

^ Orduña A., Eduardo (2011) “Los numerales ibéricos y el protovasco [Iberian numerals and Proto-Basque]”, in Veleia‎^[1] (in Spanish), volume 28, pages 125–139
^ “lau” in Etymological Dictionary of Basque by R. L. Trask, sussex.ac.uk
^ Mitxelena, Koldo L. (1961) Fonética histórica vasca [Basque Historical Phonetics] (Obras completas de Luis Michelena; 1) (in Spanish), Diputación Foral de Guipuzkoa, published 1990, →ISBN, page 93

Esperanto

Preposition

lau

H-system spelling of laŭ

Franco-Provençal

Noun

lau (Old Bressan, Old Dauphinois)

Alternative form of lèc (“lake”)

References

Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “lacus”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volume 5: J L, page 126

German

Etymology

From Middle High German lā (inflected lāwe), from Old High German lāo. Cognate with Dutch lauw. Also related with English lukewarm.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /laʊ̯/
Rhymes: -aʊ̯
Audio: (file)

Adjective

lau (strong nominative masculine singular lauer, comparative lauer, superlative am lauesten or am lausten)

Synonym of lauwarm (“lukewarm, tepid”)
(often of wind or the night) mild; especially in the sense that it is pleasantly cool after a period of heat
Synonym: mild

Es war eine laue Sommernacht. ― It was a mild summer night. [i.e. one that is warm, but bringing welcome cooling after a hot day]
cushy, easy
ein lauer Job ― a cushy job

Derived terms

für lau
lauer Lenz (“period of idleness”)

sich einen lauen Lenz machen ― to get on a gravy train, to ride the gravy train

Hawaiian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈlau̯/, [ˈlɐw], [ˈlɔw] (rapid speech)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *lau, from Proto-Polynesian *rau, from Proto-Central Pacific *rau, from Proto-Oceanic *raun, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *raun, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *daun, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *dahun (“leaf”) (compare with Malay daun, Tagalog dahon).

Noun

lau

leaf

Derived terms

lauoho

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *rau (“hundred”) ultimately from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ʀatus (compare with Malay ratus, Tagalog gatos).

Verb

lau

(stative) many, numerous

Numeral

lau

four hundred

References

Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “lau”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press

Hiri Motu

Pronoun

lau

1st-person singular pronoun: I, me

Kalo Finnish Romani

Noun

lau m (genitive laavesko, nominative plural laave, genitive plural laavengo)

word
talk

Derived terms

Kapampangan

Alternative forms

lauo (Spanish orthography, obsolete)
lawu (Súlat Wáwâ)

Etymology

From Sanskrit राहु (rāhu, “Rāhu”). Compare Tagalog laho.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈlauʔ/ [ˈläː.uʔ]
Hyphenation: la‧u

Noun

láû

eclipse (usually of the moon)

Derived terms

Related terms

Lau

Karo Batak

Noun

lau

water

References

Ahmad Samin Siregar et al. (2001). Kamus Bahasa Karo–Indonesia. Medan: Balai Pustaka, p. 119.

Middle English

Noun

lau

Alternative form of lawe

Mokilese

Noun

lau

tongue

Inflection

Possessive forms of lau (tightly inalienable)

singular possessor	first person	loawoaioa
	second person	loawoamwen
	third person	loawoa
dual possessors	first person inclusive	loawoasa
	first person exclusive	loawoama
	second person	loawoamwa
	third person	loawoara
plural possessors	first person inclusive	loawoasai
	first person exclusive	loawoamai
	second person	loawoamwai
	third person	loawoarai
remote plural possessors	first person inclusive	loawoahs
	first person exclusive	loawoami
	second person	loawoamwi
	third person	loawoahr
construct form		loawoan

North Frisian

Alternative forms

lööw (Föhr-Amrum, also Mooring variant)
Lööv (Sylt)

Etymology

From Old Frisian *lewa, from Proto-West Germanic *lēwō. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Leeuwe.

Noun

lau m (plural laue)

(Mooring) lion

Old Welsh

Etymology

From Proto-Brythonic *llọβ̃, from Proto-Celtic *ɸlāmā, from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂ (“palm, hand”).

Noun

lau f

hand

Descendants

Middle Welsh: llaw
- Welsh: llaw

Rapa Nui

Adjective

lau

wide

Remontado Agta

Noun

laú

water

Romanian

Verb

lau

inflection of la:
1. first-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
2. third-person plural present/imperfect indicative

Samoan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *rau (compare Maori rau), from Proto-Oceanic, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *dahun (compare Malay daun).

Noun

lau

leaf

Numeral

lau

hundred

Derived terms

lua lau (“two hundred”)

Tocharian B

Adverb

lau

away
ṣañ wrat lau tärkanacer
You are going to let your vow away. (literally)

You are going to break your vow.

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

(Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [law˧˧]
(Huế) IPA^(key): [law˧˧]
(Saigon) IPA^(key): [la(ː)w˧˧]
Audio (Saigon): (file)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Vietic *k-luː, cognate with Arem alaw.

Noun

(classifier cây) lau • (𣓿, 𦰤)

reed, arundinaceous cane

Etymology 2

Verb

lau

to clean by wiping or rubbing with a wet cloth

Derived terms

Welsh

Pronunciation

(North Wales) IPA^(key): /laɨ̯/
(South Wales) IPA^(key): /lai̯/

Noun

lau

Soft mutation of llau (“lice”).

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
llau	lau	unchanged	unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

White Hmong

Alternative forms

laug (for ruminant mammals)

Etymology

From Proto-Hmong *ʔljuwᴮ (“male”).^[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /lau̯˧/

Adjective

lau

(of birds) male

Derived terms

lau qaib (“rooster”)

References

Heimbach, Ernest E. (1979) White Hmong — English Dictionary‎^[2], SEAP Publications, →ISBN, page 105.

^ Ratliff, Martha (2010) Hmong-Mien language history (Studies in Language Change; 8), Camberra, Australia: Pacific Linguistics, →ISBN, page 63; 276.

[1] Orduña A., Eduardo (2011) “Los numerales ibéricos y el protovasco [Iberian numerals and Proto-Basque]”, in Veleia‎^[1] (in Spanish), volume 28, pages 125–139

[2] “lau” in Etymological Dictionary of Basque by R. L. Trask, sussex.ac.uk

[3] Mitxelena, Koldo L. (1961) Fonética histórica vasca [Basque Historical Phonetics] (Obras completas de Luis Michelena; 1) (in Spanish), Diputación Foral de Guipuzkoa, published 1990, →ISBN, page 93

[4] Ratliff, Martha (2010) Hmong-Mien language history (Studies in Language Change; 8), Camberra, Australia: Pacific Linguistics, →ISBN, page 63; 276.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[1]

	singular	plural
1st person	lau	ai (exclusive) ita (inclusive)
2nd person	oi	umui
3rd person	ia	idia

lau

English

Verb

Anagrams

Aromanian

Alternative forms

Etymology

Verb

Synonyms

Related terms

See also

Basque

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Adjective

Declension

Adverb

Noun

Declension

Etymology 2

Numeral

Usage notes

Declension

References

Further reading

Esperanto

Preposition

Franco-Provençal

Noun

References

German

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Derived terms

Further reading

Hawaiian

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Noun

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Verb

Numeral

References

Hiri Motu

Pronoun

See also

Kalo Finnish Romani

Noun

Derived terms

Kapampangan

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Derived terms

Related terms

Karo Batak

Noun

References

Middle English

Noun

Mokilese

Noun

Inflection

North Frisian

Alternative forms

Etymology

Noun

Old Welsh

Etymology

Noun

Descendants

Rapa Nui

Adjective

Remontado Agta

Noun

Romanian

Verb