Korb

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See also: korb and kõrb

German[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle High German korp, from Old High German korb, chorp, from Proto-West Germanic *korb.

The sense “rejection of a (romantic) request” is formed back from the expressions einen Korb geben (“to so reject”), einen Korb kriegen (“to be so rejected”). These derive from certain older customs, which involved a bottomless basket as a symbol of the end or inexistence of love. The further origin of this symbol seems uncertain, though it has been plausibly related to the apparent mediaeval practice of pulling a secret visitor up to one’s window in a basket. Compare the same in Dutch een korf krijgen and Swedish få korgen.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /kɔrp/, [kɔʁp], [kɔɐ̯p], [kɔːp]
  • Audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɔɐ̯p

Noun[edit]

Korb m (strong, genitive Korbes or Korbs, plural Körbe, diminutive Körbchen n or Körblein n)

  1. basket, creel
    Ich brauche einen Korb für die Beeren, die ich pflücke.
    I need a basket for the berries that I pick.
    1. (basketball) hoop
    2. (botany) anthodium (inflorescence of a compound flower)
    3. (aviation) nacelle
  2. (figurative, often as ein ganzer Korb) a variety, selection, range
    1. (law) a set of laws around a certain theme
  3. (informal) rejection of a request, especially romantic, such as a proposal or asking for a date

Declension[edit]

Declension of Korb [masculine, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Korb die Körbe
genitive eines des Korbes, Korbs der Körbe
dative einem dem Korb, Korbe1 den Körben
accusative einen den Korb die Körbe

1Now rare, see notes.

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Further reading[edit]

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