kvass

English

Alternative forms

• kvas, quas, quass

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian квас (kvas).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kvɑːs/
• Rhymes: -ɑːs

Noun

kvass (countable and uncountable, plural kvasses)

1. A fermented cereal-based low alcoholic beverage, often flavored with fruit, honey and herbs.
   • 1966, Bernard Malamud, chapter 2, in The Fixer:

     She […] talked constantly, mostly of her childhood, the young ladies’ school she had attended, and the pleasures of Kiev in the summertime.
     “Days are long and hot, but nights are languorous and starlit. People refresh themselves in their flower gardens and some walk in the parks, drink kvass and lemonade, and listen to the symphonies […] ”

Translations

fermented cereal-based low alcoholic beverage

• Arabic: كْفَاس m (kfās), كْفَاس m (kvās)
• Armenian: կվաս (hy) (kvas)
• Belarusian: квас (be) m (kvas)
• Bulgarian: квас (bg) m (kvas)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 克瓦斯 (kèwǎsī), 格瓦斯 (zh) (géwǎsī)

• Czech: kvas (cs) m
• Danish: kvas n
• Esperanto: kvaso
• Estonian: kali (et)
• Finnish: kvassi (fi), taari (fi)
• French: kvas (fr) m
• Georgian: ბურახი (buraxi)
• German: Kwass (de) m
• Hebrew: קוואס
• Hindi: क्वास m (kvās)
• Hungarian: kvasz (hu)
• Ingrian: taari
• Japanese: クワス (kuwasu)
• Kalmyk: хәмр (xämr)
• Korean: 크바스 (keubaseu)
• Latvian: kvass (lv) m, dzersis m
• Lithuanian: gira f
• Macedonian: квас m (kvas)
• Mari:

  Eastern Mari: пура (pura), шопо (šopo)

  Western Mari: шапы (šapy), квас (kvas)

• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: kvass m

  Nynorsk: kvass m

• Polish: kwas chlebowy (pl) m
• Portuguese: kvas m or f
• Romanian: cvas (ro)
• Russian: квас (ru) m (kvas)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: ква̑с m

  Roman: kvȃs (sh) m

• Slovak: kvas m
• Slovene: kvas (sl) m
• Spanish: kvas (es) m
• Swedish: kvass (sv) c
• Udmurt: сюкась (śukaś)
• Ukrainian: квас m (kvas)
• Vietnamese: nước cơvat
• Yakut: кыбаас (kıbaas)

Further reading

• kvass on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Norwegian Bokmål

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kvas/, [kʋɑs]

Etymology 1

From Russian квас (kvas).

Noun

kvass m (definite singular kvassen, indefinite plural kvasser, definite plural kvassene)

1. (beverage) kvass

Etymology 2

From Old Norse hvass.

Alternative forms

• hvass

Adjective

kvass (neuter singular kvast, definite singular and plural kvasse, comparative kvassere, indefinite superlative kvassest, definite superlative kvasseste)

1. sharp

   Pass på, den kniven kan være kvass.

   Watch out, that knife could be sharp.

2. sharp, clever, witty

   Han er en kvass gutt.

   He is a sharp boy.

3. sharp, abrupt, acute

   De hørte et kvast skrik.

   They heard a sharp scream.

Synonyms

• skarp
• spiss

References

“kvass” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʋɑsː/

Etymology 1

From Russian квас (kvas).

Noun

kvass m (definite singular kvassen, indefinite plural kvassar, definite plural kvassane)

1. (beverage) kvass

Etymology 2

From Old Norse hvass.

Adjective

kvass (neuter singular kvast, definite singular and plural kvasse, comparative kvassare, indefinite superlative kvassast, definite superlative kvassaste)

1. sharp
   • 1861, Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, Ferdaminni fraa Sumaren 1860 (quote from the Draumkvedet):

     Sæl er den Rike her i Verdi, som gjever den Fatike Korn: han tarv ikki ræddast paa Ødrum-Ferdi for kvasse Stutehorn.

     Happy is the rich one here in the world, who gives grain to the poor one: he shall not be afraid of the sharp ox horns on the Second Travel (after death)

2. sharp, clever, witty
3. sharp, abrupt, acute

Synonyms

• skarp
• spiss

References

“kvass” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.