xegħel

From Arabic شَعَلَ (šaʕala, “to light”). The same verb is used for “to turn on a machine” in several languages. In Maltese it may be a calque of Italian accendere, but compare also Moroccan Arabic شعل (šʕal), French allumer, Spanish encender (all “to light” and “to turn on”).

• IPA^(key): /ʃɛːl/
• IPA^(key): /ʃɛ.ˤɛl/ (archaic)

xegħel (imperfect jixgħel, past participle mixgħul, verbal noun xegħil)

1. to light (a candle etc.)

   Qed nixgħel ix-xemgħa.

   I’m lighting the candle.

2. to turn on (a device)

   Se tixgħel il-laptop.

   She will turn on the laptop.

3. (intransitive) to burst out in anger

   Synonyms: sibel, rrabja, tgħaddab

   Xgħelt xħin semmejtlek lil oħtok.

   You burst out in anger when I mentioned your sister.