quälen

See also: Qualen

German

Etymology

From Middle High German queln, from Old High German quellen, from Proto-Germanic *kwaljaną. The vowel was lengthened in modern German under the influence of the related noun Qual. Cognates include Dutch kwellen, English quell, Old Norse kvelja, and further Old Church Slavonic жаль (žalĭ, “pain”), Old Armenian կեղ (keł, “sore, ulcer”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkvɛːlən/, [ˈkʋɛːlən], [ˈkʋɛːl̩n] (standard; especially western Germany, Switzerland)
• IPA^(key): /ˈkveːlən/ (alternative standard; chiefly northern and eastern regions)

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

1. to torture, torment, agonize
2. (reflexive) to toil, struggle

Derived terms

• abquälen
• herumquälen
• Quälerei
• Quälgeist

Related terms

• Qual

Further reading

• “quälen” in Duden online