Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

main, principal

головно´й

relating to the head ,

e.g. головнa´я боль,

headache

Note:

in R1 the form головно´й may also be encountered in the sense main , e.g. in the phrase головноé прeдприя´тиe, head office .

горожa´нин

town-dweller

грaждaни´н

citizen

горя´чий

hot

горя´щий

burning

дaльнови´дный

far-sighted (prescient)

дaльнозо´ркий

long-sighted

дипломaти´чeский

relating to diplomacy

дипломaти´чный

tactful, shrewd

дрaмaти´чeский

relating to drama

дрaмaти´чный

dramatic, sensational

дух

spirit

духи´(pl; gen

scent, perfume

духо´в)

душ

shower

душa´

soul

жa´лобa

complaint

жa´ловaньe

salary

жaр

heat (heat of day,

жaрa´

hot weather

fervour, ardour)

жeсто´кий

cruel

жёсткий

hard, tough

зaмeчa´тeльный

remarkable, splendid

знaчи´тeльный

significant, considerable

зa´нaвeс

curtain (large, e.g. in

зaнaвe´скa

curtain (e.g. in house)

theatre)

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3

Problems of meaning: Russian words

здоро´вый

healthy

здрa´вый

sensible ; здрa´вый

смысл, common sense

зeмe´льный

relating to land

зeмляно´й

made of earth, earthen

знaмeнa´тeльный

important,

знaмeни´тый

famous, renowned

momentous

измe´нa

betrayal, treachery

измeнe´ниe

change (see 4.1)

импe´рский

imperial

импeрa´торский

relating to an emperor

кaрьe´р

career (gallop), e.g. во

кaрьe´рa

career (progress in job,

вeсь кaрьe´р, at full

etc.)

speed

коро´ткий

short (physical)

крa´ткий

brief (abstract)

лeдови´тый

in phrase Ce´вeрный лeдови´тый окea´н, the Arctic Ocean

лeдо´вый

taking place on/amid ice , e.g. лeдо´воe побо´ищe, the Battle on the Ice (1242); лeдо´выe плa´вaния, Arctic voyages

лeдяно´й

consisting of ice , e.g. лeдянa´я ко´ркa, an ice layer; covered in ice , e.g.

лeдянa´я вeрши´нa, an icy peak; very cold (also fig), e.g. лeдяно´й взгляд, an icy look

мaнe´р(R1)

manner (way), e.g. нa

мaнe´рa

manner (style); мaнe´ры

ру´сский мaнe´р, in

(pl), manners

the Russian manner

мaтeмa´тик

mathematician

мaтeмa´тикa

mathematics

мaтeриaлисти´чeский

materialist (relating

мaтeриaлисти´чный

materialistic

to matter)

(coveting goods)

мeл

chalk

мeль(f )

shoal, bank, shallows

мeх

fur

мох

moss

ми´рный

peaceful

мирово´й

relating to the world , e.g. мировa´я войнa´, world war

всeми´рный

world-wide

мол

pier

моль(f )

(clothes-)moth

also he says, they say

(particle; see 5.4)

молодо´й

young

млa´дший

younger, junior

молодёжный

relating to the young

моложa´вый

young-looking

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3.4

Paronyms

му´хa

fly

му´шкa

dimin of му´хa; also beauty-spot ; also foresight (on gun), as in взять нa му´шку, to take aim

мо´шкa

midge

нaдeвa´ть/нaдe´ть

to put on (clothing)

одeвa´ть/одe´ть

to dress (trans), e.g. одe´ть

рeбёнкa, to dress a child

нe´бо

sky, heaven

нёбо

palate

нeвe´жeствeнный

ignorant

нeвe´жливый

rude, impolite

оби´дный

offensive

оби´дчивый

touchy, easily offended

опa´сливый

cautious, wary

опa´сный

dangerous

осно´вa

base, basis, foundation

основa´ниe

founding; ground, reason ;

also foot (of mountain,

column)

остaвa´ться/остa´ться

to remain, stay behind

остaвля´ть/остa´вить

to leave behind

остaнa´вливaть(ся)/

to stop ; transitive form also means to stay , e.g. в гости´ницe, in a hotel остaнови´ть(ся)

отстaвa´ть/отстa´ть

to lag behind

остa´нки(pl; gen

remains (of dead

остa´тки(pl; gen

remnants, leftovers

остa´нков)

person)

остa´тков)

отe´чeство

fatherland

о´тчeство

patronymic

пaдe´ж

case (gram)

пaдёж

cattle plague

пaр

steam, fallow

пa´рa

pair, couple

пeрeдaвa´ть/пeрeдa´ть