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verziehen
/fɛɐ̯ˈt͡siːən/
to move away
Das Kind hat sich vom Tisch verzogen.
The child moved away from the table.
general
to move away from a place, often gradually or subtly
Er verzog sich leise aus dem Raum.
He quietly moved away from the room.
Die Wolken verzogen sich langsam.
The clouds slowly moved away.
Often implies a quiet or unnoticed departure.
general
to spoil or distort (e.g., a face, wood, or metal)
Das Holz hat sich verzogen.
The wood has warped.
Er verzog das Gesicht vor Schmerz.
He made a pained face.
Commonly used for physical deformation or facial expressions.
general
to raise (children)
Sie hat drei Kinder verzogen.
She raised three children.
Less common than 'erziehen' (to raise/educate).
Collocations
sich verzogento move away discreetlydas Holz verzogenthe wood warpeddas Gesicht verzogento make a face
Synonyms
Pro Tip
Common Mistake
Avoid using 'verziehen' for 'to raise children'—use 'erziehen' instead. 'Verziehen' in this context is rare and sounds archaic.
Gold Rule
Movement vs. Distortion
Use 'verziehen' for movement when it implies a quiet or gradual departure. For physical distortion (e.g., warping), it’s the primary verb.
Word Origin
From Middle High German 'verziehen', from Old High German 'firziohan', related to 'ziehen' (to pull, draw). The sense of 'spoiling' or 'warping' comes from the idea of pulling out of shape.
Usage Notes
The verb 'verziehen' is versatile but context-dependent. In everyday speech, it often implies a subtle or quiet movement away. For raising children, 'erziehen' is more common. The past participle 'verzogen' can mean 'spoiled' (e.g., 'ein verzogenes Kind' = a spoiled child).
Word Breakdown
ver-
prefix indicating completion or change
prefix-ziehen
to pull, draw
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