затеять

Cognate with Belarusian заце́яць (zacjéjacʹ, “to undertake”) and (with a different prefix) Ukrainian ви́тіяти (výtijaty, “to undertake”). Per Vasmer, the base verb (Proto-Slavic *tějati) is possibly related to Latvian tievêt (“to strive for”), tĩtît (“to be stubborn, to be annoyed”) (1sg. tĩtĩju), tītinât (“to tease, to annoy”), Lithuanian titinoti (“to brag”).

• IPA^(key): [zɐˈtʲe(j)ɪtʲ]

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зате́ять • (zatéjatʹ) pf (imperfective затева́ть)

1. (colloquial) to undertake, to start

   зате́ять недо́брое ― zatéjatʹ nedóbroje ― to misbehave, to be up to no good

   зате́ять дра́ку ― zatéjatʹ dráku ― to start a fight

2. (colloquial) to decide (to do something)
3. (colloquial) to venture