schleichen
German
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old High German slīhhan, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *slīkaną. Compare English slink.
Pronunciation
Audio: (file)
Verb
- (intransitive) to move in a quiet and inconspicuous manner, hence often slowly and/or ducked: to crawl, to sneak, to steal, to prowl, to creep, to slither (of a snake)
- (reflexive, with some adverb of location) to go somewhere in the above manner
- (informal, intransitive) to move slowly (especially in a car)
- Was schleicht der da so? ― Why’s that guy driving so slowly?
- (informal, reflexive) to slink away; to leave meekly or sheepishly
Conjugation
Related terms
Derived terms
Further reading
- “schleichen” in Duden online