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

1. (transitive or intransitive, of an animal) to eat; to feed on; to devour
2. (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.

3. (figurative, chiefly reflexive with durch) to eat away (e.g. metal)
4. (figurative, transitive) to consume, to guzzle, to burn (e.g. fuel, money)
5. (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.”)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• abfressen
• anfressen
• auffressen
• ausfressen
• durchfressen

• einfressen
• überfressen
• verfressen
• wegfressen
• zerfressen

Descendants

• → English: fress (or from Yiddish)

Related terms

• essen

Further reading

• “fressen” in Duden online