Lihvitakse

Lihvitakse is an Estonian verb form meaning "is polished" or "is refined." It is the third-person singular present passive indicative of the verb lihvima, which means to polish, hone, or refine, especially by grinding or smoothing a surface. The form is commonly used in neutral, process-oriented descriptions of finishing work.

In Estonian, the present passive is formed with the suffix -takse, so lihvitakse signals that the action is performed on the subject by an agent or by a general process, with the agent often unspecified. This construction is frequent in technical writing, manufacturing, and craft contexts to describe finishing steps without naming who performs them.

Usage examples include metal finishing, woodworking, and ceramic or glass processing, as well as kitchenware and tool manufacture. For instance, “Pind lihvitakse enne värvimist” means “The surface is polished before painting.” Another example: “Nuga lihvitakse käsitsi või masinaga, et tera oleks terav” translates to “The knife is polished by hand or machine to make the blade sharp.”

The related noun is “lihvimine,” which denotes the act or process of polishing. Lihvitakse coexists with other passive forms and active variants like lihvima (to polish) or lihvib (he/she polishes), and it yields standard usage in descriptions of finished surfaces, quality control, and craftsmanship.