lenzen

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See also: Lenzen

Dutch[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛnzən

Noun[edit]

lenzen

  1. plural of lens

German[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈlɛn.(t)sən/, [ˈlɛn.t͡sn̩], [-t͡sən], [-sn̩], [-sən]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle High German lenzen, from lenze (spring).

Verb[edit]

lenzen (weak, third-person singular present lenzt, past tense lenzte, past participle gelenzt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (poetic, archaic, impersonal) to become spring
Conjugation[edit]
Related terms[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

Backformation from faulenzen (to be idle), originally unrelated to Lenz above, but associated with it. Compare the expression fauler Lenz or lauer Lenz (period of idleness).

Verb[edit]

lenzen (weak, third-person singular present lenzt, past tense lenzte, past participle gelenzt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (colloquial) to be idle; to hang out
    Synonyms: abhängen, rumhängen
Conjugation[edit]
Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 3[edit]

19th century, derived from Dutch lens (slack, empty”, also “dry, of a ship).

Verb[edit]

lenzen (weak, third-person singular present lenzt, past tense lenzte, past participle gelenzt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (nautical) to pump out or drain a ship
Conjugation[edit]
Related terms[edit]

Etymology 4[edit]

From Middle Low German lensen. Cognate with Dutch lenzen. Perhaps from the same adjective as under etymology 3, though this is not certain.

Verb[edit]

lenzen (weak, third-person singular present lenzt, past tense lenzte, past participle gelenzt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (nautical, usually vor dem Wind lenzen) to sail slowly in front the wind
Conjugation[edit]

Further reading[edit]