fressen
See also: Fressen
German
Etymology
From Middle High German frezzen, from Old High German frezzan, firezzan, from Proto-Germanic *fraetaną. Cognate with Dutch vreten, English fret, Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (fraitan), Swedish fräta.
Pronunciation
Audio: (file)
Verb
- (transitive or intransitive, of an animal) to eat; to feed on; to devour
- (transitive or intransitive, of a person, derogatory) to stuff oneself; to gorge oneself; to eat like a pig
- Erst kommt das Fressen, dann kommt die Moral.
- First comes the stomach, then comes ethics.
- (figurative, chiefly reflexive with durch) to eat away (e.g. metal)
- (figurative, transitive) to consume, to guzzle, to burn (e.g. fuel, money)
- (transitive, colloquial, perfect only) to despise, to have a pet peeve against
- Den hab ich ja gefressen! ― I can’t stand that guy! (literally, “I have eaten that one.”)
Conjugation
Derived terms
Derived terms
Descendants
- → English: fress (or from Yiddish)
Related terms
Further reading
- “fressen” in Duden online
Categories:
- German terms inherited from Middle High German
- German terms derived from Middle High German
- German terms inherited from Old High German
- German terms derived from Old High German
- German terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- German terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- German terms with audio links
- German transitive verbs
- German intransitive verbs
- German derogatory terms
- German terms with usage examples
- German reflexive verbs
- German colloquialisms