peitsivad

Peitsivad is an Estonian verb form that serves as the third-person plural past tense of the verb peitsima, meaning to whip or lash. It is used in narrative and descriptive prose to indicate that multiple subjects performed whipping actions in the past. As a finite, active-voice form, peitsivad governs a plural subject and typically appears in sentences describing past events or actions.

Etymology and base form: The form derives from the stem peits-, linked to the noun peits (whip) and the infinitive ending -ima, forming the verb peitsima, “to whip.” The specific form peitsivad reflects standard Estonian verb conjugation patterns for third-person plural in the past tense.

Usage and register: Peitsima is a transitive verb and is encountered in historical writings, literary works, and formal narration where corporal punishment or whipping is described. In modern, everyday Estonian, discussions of corporal punishment are relatively uncommon and may appear primarily in historical or critical contexts. The form peitsivad thus tends to appear in texts that describe events rather than in casual speech.

Grammatical notes: As a finite form, peitsivad is used with a plural subject and denotes past action. It is one of several conjugated forms of peitsima, which include other persons, numbers, and tenses. Understanding peitsivad relies on recognizing the root peits- and the standard Estonian pattern for past-tense, third-person plural verb forms.

See also: peitsima, peits (whip), Estonian verb conjugation.