Latvian

Noun

bailība f (4th declension)

1. (rare, usually singular) fear, timidity, shyness, fearfulness (the state or quality of one who is (habitually) afraid, who is easy to scare, to frighten, to startle)

   ienāca Kaspars lēni un godbijīgi, tomēr nevis ar kalpa bailību‎ ― Kaspars came in slowly and respectfully, but with a servant's fear

   sarunas nonākušas līdz tematam par bailību un bezbailību‎ ― the conversation came to the themes of fear and fearlessness

   uz jūrskolu nebraukšu... ko gan tur ar manu bailību?‎ ― I won't go to naval school... what will I do there with my fear, timidity?

2. (dated, usually plural) fear

   es gribu kliegt, saukt citas sievas skatīties, bet no bailībām mēle pavisam stīva‎ ― I want to shout, to call the other wives to see (it), but my tongue is commpletely stiff from fear

Declension

Synonyms

• (of "timidity"): bailīgums, biklums, biklība
• (of "fear"): bailes, bail

Antonyms

• bezbailība, bezbailīgums
• drosme, drosmīgums, drošums

Related terms

• bail, bailes, bailība
• baidīt, baidīties
• bikls, bīties