umzäunen

German

Etymology

From um- + Zaun + -en, with umlaut.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʊmˈt͡sɔɪ̯nən/

Verb

umzäunen (third-person singular simple present umzäunt, past tense umzäunte, past participle umzäunt, auxiliary haben)

  1. to fence in, enclose
    Synonym: einzäunen
    • 1933, Johann Esser and Wolfgang Langhoff (lyrics), Rudi Goguel (music), “Die Moorsoldaten [Peat Bog Soldiers]”, performed by leftist political prisoners in Nazi concentration camps:
      Auf und nieder geh'n die Posten, / keiner, keiner kann hindurch. / Flucht wird nur das Leben kosten, / vierfach ist umzäunt die Burg.
      Up and down the guards are walking, / Nobody, nobody can get through. / Escape would but waste one's life, / Fourfold is enclosed the fort.

Conjugation

Further reading

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