vers

See also: Vers, verš, and vers.

English

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /vɝs/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

vers (not comparable)

1. (LGBTQ slang) Willing to take either a penetrative (top) or receptive (bottom) role in anal sex.

   Synonym: (India) double-decker

2. (BDSM slang) Short for versatile.

Derived terms

• vers bottom
• vers top

 

Etymology 2

Noun

vers

1. Abbreviation of versine or versed sine.

Synonyms

• versin

Etymology 3

Noun

vers

1. plural of ver

See also

• vers de societe
• vers-librist

Anagrams

• ERVs, Serv., VREs, revs, serv, serv.

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch vers, from Middle Dutch vers, from Old Dutch vers, from Latin versus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɛːrs/

Noun

vers (plural verse, diminutive versie)

1. A verse, a stanza.
2. A short poem.
3. A verse; a line, sentence or similarly short passage of a text, usually in prose.

Aromanian

Etymology

From Latin versō. Compare Romanian vărsa, vars.

Verb

vers first-singular present indicative (third-person singular present indicative viarse, past participle vãrsate)

1. Alternative form of versu

Related terms

• vãrsari
• vãrsat
• vãrsãture

See also

• dãpun
• vom
• tor

Catalan

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin versus (“line, row”). Doublet of bes and ves.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [ˈbɛrs]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Valencia) [ˈvɛrs]

Noun

vers m (plural versos)

1. verse, poem

Related terms

• versar

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Latin versus (“toward, facing”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [ˈbɛrs]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Valencia) [ˈvers]

Preposition

vers

1. (literary) towards (in the direction of)

   Synonyms: envers, devers

2. (literary) towards (in relation to)
3. (literary) towards (located approximately next to)

Related terms

• invers
• versus

Further reading

• “vers” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Danish

Etymology

From Latin versus.

Noun

vers n (singular definite verset, plural indefinite vers)

1. verse (in songs)
2. single line in poem

   tredje vers i femte strofe

   the third line of the fifth stanza

3. the format of meter, verse, as opposed to prose

   Det var før i tiden almindeligt at skrive aviser på vers.

   Previously, it was normal to write newspapers in verse.

Usage notes

The first definition is common among layfolk, while the second is used otherwise.

Declension

Declension of vers

neuter gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	vers	verset	vers	versene
genitive	vers'	versets	vers'	versenes

Synonyms

• (single line): verselinje

Further reading

• “vers” in Den Danske Ordbog
• “vers” in Ordbog over det danske Sprog

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vɛrs/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: vers
• Rhymes: -ɛrs

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch versch, from Old Dutch *fersk, *frisk, from Proto-West Germanic *frisk, from Proto-Germanic *friskaz, from Proto-Indo-European *preysk-. Doublet of fris.

Cognate with German frisch, West Frisian farsk, English fresh, Danish fersk, Norwegian Bokmål fersk, Swedish färsk.

Adjective

vers (comparative verser, superlative meest vers or verst)

1. fresh

Declension

Declension of vers
uninflected	vers
inflected	verse
comparative	verser
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		vers	verser	het verst het verste
indefinite	m./f. sing.	verse	versere	verste
	n. sing.	vers	verser	verste
	plural	verse	versere	verste
definite		verse	versere	verste
partitive		vers	versers	—

Derived terms

• versheid
• ovenvers

Descendants

• Afrikaans: vars
• Negerhollands: versch

Etymology 2

From Middle Dutch vers, from Old Dutch vers, from Latin versus.

Noun

vers n (plural verzen, diminutive versje n)

1. a verse, a stanza
2. a short poem
3. verse (poetic form with fixed rhyme and meter)
4. a verse; a line, sentence or similarly short passage of a text, usually in prose

Derived terms

• versregel

Descendants

• Afrikaans: vers
• Negerhollands: vaers

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vɛʁ/
• IPA^(key): /vɛʁ.z‿/ (optional liaison, but rare and discouraged)

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophones: vair, vairs, ver, verre, verrent, verres, vert, verts
• Rhymes: -ɛʁ

Etymology 1

From Latin versus (past participle of vertere). Cognate to Italian verso (preposition). Doublet of versus.

Preposition

vers

1. towards
2. to

   Elle a traduit les paroles de sa chanson préférée du français vers l’anglais.

   She translated the lyrics of her favorite song from French to English.

3. around, circa (with a date or time)

   Pouvez-vous nous attendre jusque vers midi ?

   Can you wait for us until about noon?

Etymology 2

From Latin versus.

Noun

vers m (plural vers)

1. verse

Derived terms

• vers libre

Etymology 3

Noun

vers m

1. plural of ver

Further reading

• “vers”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Hungarian

Wikisource ^hu

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin versus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈvɛrʃ]
• Rhymes: -ɛrʃ

Noun

vers (plural versek)

1. verse, poem

   Synonyms: költemény, poéma

2. (obsolete) race (competition)

Declension

Inflection (stem in -e-, front unrounded harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	vers	versek
accusative	verset	verseket
dative	versnek	verseknek
instrumental	verssel	versekkel
causal-final	versért	versekért
translative	verssé	versekké
terminative	versig	versekig
essive-formal	versként	versekként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	versben	versekben
superessive	versen	verseken
adessive	versnél	verseknél
illative	versbe	versekbe
sublative	versre	versekre
allative	vershez	versekhez
elative	versből	versekből
delative	versről	versekről
ablative	verstől	versektől
non-attributive possessive - singular	versé	verseké
non-attributive possessive - plural	verséi	versekéi

Possessive forms of vers
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	versem	verseim
2nd person sing.	versed	verseid
3rd person sing.	verse	versei
1st person plural	versünk	verseink
2nd person plural	versetek	verseitek
3rd person plural	versük	verseik

Derived terms

• versel
• verses
• versike

(Compound words):

• tájvers
• versfeldolgozás
• versszak

Further reading

• vers in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (“The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language”, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN

Icelandic

Noun

vers

1. indefinite genitive singular of ver

Ido

Etymology

Borrowed from French vers, Italian verso. Decision no. 718, Progreso V.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vɛrs/

Preposition

vers

1. (physical sense) toward, towards, in the direction of

See also

• ad

Ingrian

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *virci. Cognates include Finnish virsi and Estonian virs.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈʋers/, [ˈʋe̞rz̠]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈʋers/, [ˈʋe̞rʒ̥]
• Rhymes: -ers
• Hyphenation: vers

Noun

vers

1. poem, traditional song

   laulaa verttä ― to sing a folk poem

2. Short for kirkkovers (“psalm”).

Declension

Declension of vers (type 5/vesi, rt-rr gradation)
	singular	plural
nominative	vers	verret
genitive	verren	versiin, versilöin
partitive	verttä	versiä, versilöjä
illative	vertee	versii, versilöihe
inessive	verrees	versiis, versilöis
elative	verrest	versist, versilöist
allative	verrelle	versille, versilöille
adessive	verreel	versiil, versilöil
ablative	verrelt	versilt, versilöilt
translative	verreks	versiks, versilöiks
essive	verteennä, verteen	versiinnä, versilöinnä, versiin, versilöin
exessive1)	vertent	versint, versilöint
1) obsolete *) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl) **) the comitative is formed by adding the suffix -ka? or -kä? to the genitive.

Derived terms

• itkuvers
• kirkkovers
• kosikkivers
• lähtiisvers

 

References

• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 657

Maltese

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian verso and/or Sicilian versu, from Latin versus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vɛrs/

Noun

vers m (dual versejn, plural versi or vrus or vrejjes, diminutive vrejjes)

1. verse
2. (figuratively) manner of thinking

Related terms

• versett
• vversja

 

Middle English

Alternative forms

• ferrs, werse, veerce, wers, verse, verce

Etymology

From a combination of Old French vers and Old English fers, both from Latin versus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vɛrs/, /vɛːrs/, /fɛrs/

Noun

vers (plural verses or vers)

1. A line or passage of a text or work:
   1. A line in a poem; part of a stanza.
   2. A line in a non-poetic literary work.
   3. A Biblical verse, especially of a psalm.
   4. A maxim or similar short phrase.
2. A larger portion of a text or work:
   1. A stanza; a group of lines equivalent to the prose paragraph.
   2. A portion of a liturgical prayer or recitation.
3. Verse, poetry; the poetic form and art as a whole.
4. (rare) A syllable as a poetic unit.
5. (rare) An array of objects.

Related terms

• verset
• versicle
• versifien
• versifiour

Descendants

• English: verse
• Scots: varse (obsolete)

References

• “vers(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-05-26.

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French vers.

Preposition

vers

1. toward(s)

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin versus and Old Norse vers.

Noun

vers n (definite singular verset, indefinite plural vers, definite plural versa or versene)

1. verse

Derived terms

• synge på siste verset

References

• “vers” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse vers, versi, from Latin versus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʋɛrs/

Noun

vers n (definite singular verset, indefinite plural vers, definite plural versa)

1. verse

References

• “vers” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old French

Etymology 1

Latin versus (“verse; line (of poetry)”).

Noun

vers oblique singular, m (oblique plural vers, nominative singular vers, nominative plural vers)

1. verse (poetry)
   • c. 1150, Thomas d'Angleterre, Le Roman de Tristan, Champion Classiques edition, →ISBN, page 182, lines 2257–8:

     Seignurs, cest cunte est mult divers,
     e pur ço l'uni par mes vers

     Good sirs, this story is very diverse,
     and for this, I try to bring it together with my verses

Descendants

• → Middle English: vers, ferrs, werse, veerce, wers, verse, verce
  • English: verse
  • Scots: varse (obsolete)
• Middle French: vers
  • French: vers

References

• vers on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub

Etymology 2

Latin versus (“turned, changed, having been turned”).

Preposition

vers

1. toward(s)

Descendants

• Middle French: vers
  • French: vers

References

• vers on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub

Old Norse

Noun

vers

1. genitive singular of verr

Old Occitan

Noun

vers m (oblique plural vers, nominative singular vers, nominative plural vers)

1. verse (poetry)

Piedmontese

Noun

vers m (plural vers)

1. verse

Derived terms

• verset

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French vers, Italian verso, Latin versus. Doublet of viers, which was inherited.

Noun

vers n (plural versuri)

1. verse
2. lyric

Declension

	singular			plural
	+ indefinite article	+ definite article		+ indefinite article	+ definite article
nominative/accusative	(un) vers	versul		(niște) versuri	versurile
genitive/dative	(unui) vers	versului		(unor) versuri	versurilor
vocative	versule			versurilor

Serbo-Croatian

Alternative forms

• vȅrz

Etymology

From Latin versus. Compare versificírati / vèrsifikovati.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʋêrs/

Noun

vȅrs m (Cyrillic spelling ве̏рс)

1. (archaic) verse

   Synonym: stȉh

Declension

Declension of vers

	singular	plural
nominative	vȅrs	versi
genitive	vȅrsa	vȇrsā
dative	versu	versima
accusative	vers	verse
vocative	verse	versi
locative	versu	versima
instrumental	versom	versima

References

• “vers”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2024

Swedish

Etymology

From Latin versus (“turning”).

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æʂ

Noun

vers c

1. verse (as opposed to prose)

   Antonym: prosa

   Han skriver vers

   He writes in verse

   Julhälsningen var skriven på vers

   The Christmas greeting was written in verse

2. a verse (of a song)

   Synonym: (rare) strof

   Andra versen i visan är rätt snuskig

   The second verse of the song is pretty dirty

   Jag gillar gitarrspelet i versen

   I like the guitar playing in the verse

3. (technical) a stich (line of poetry)
4. (informal) a stanza (of a poem)

   Synonym: strof

5. (informal, by extension) a (short) poem

   Han har skrivit en vers till mig

   He has written a poem for me

6. a verse (of the Bible)

   Den gyllene regeln står i Matteusevangeliet, kapitel 7, vers 12

   The golden rule is found in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verse 12

Declension

Declension of vers

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	vers	vers
	definite	versen	versens
plural	indefinite	verser	versers
	definite	verserna	versernas

Derived terms

• sjunga på sista versen
• versmått

Related terms

• verserad

See also

• dikt
• poem
• poesi
• rim
• refräng
• sång
• visa

References

• vers in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• vers in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• vers in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Anagrams

• revs