verlassen German · revision 35353

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=765, Old High German glosses|origins=gem-pro *fralētaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /fərˈlasən/, /fɛr-/, [fɐˈlasn̩]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''verlassen''' (class 7 strong, third-person singular present verlässt, past tense verließ, past participle verlassen, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+ The standard language shortened the stem vowel, while some dialects kept it long.^(DWB|25, 725)

+ Contracted forms going back to Middle High German ''verlân'' still occur in the 16th century, such as Brant's participle ''verlan''.^(DWB|25, 725)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|verlāzen]], [[inh|goh|firlāzan|t=to let go, leave, abandon]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*fralātan]], [[inh|gem-pro|*fralētaną|t=to leave, dismiss]], formed from the prefix [[gem-pro|*fra-]] and [[m|gem-pro|*lētaną|t=to let]].^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler AHD)^(DWB|25, 725) In German terms it is [[ver-]] and [[lassen]].^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary DE) The same verb is [[got|𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌻𐌴𐍄𐌰𐌽|tr=fralētan]], [[ang|forlǣtan]], [[osx|farlātan]], [[gml|vorlāten]], [[nl|verlaten]] and the archaic [[en|forlet]].^(DWB|25, 725)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The simple verb is [[got|𐌻𐌴𐍄𐌰𐌽|tr=lētan]], [[non|láta]] and [[ang|lǣtan]], continued in [[en|let]].^(Kluge 2011|560)^(Kroonen 2013) Kroonen derives it from [[ine-pro|*leh₁d-]], comparing [[grc|ληδεῖν|tr=lēdeîn|t=to be tired]] and [[la|lassus|t=tired, weary]].^(Kroonen 2013) Kluge finds no exact match outside Germanic: the Greek and Latin words mean “tired”, and [[lt|léisti|t=to let, let go]] fits the sense better, but the root [[ine-pro|*lēid-]] set up to unite them is problematic.^(Kluge 2011|560)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German ''firlāzan'' is recorded from glosses of 765 and is frequent in the Benedictine Rule, Isidor, the Tatian, Otfrid and Notker.^(Köbler AHD)^(Schützeichel 2012|193) Its senses there were broad: to leave, give up, abandon, release, set free, forgive, allow and leave behind, and with a reflexive pronoun already to rely on.^(Schützeichel 2012|193)^(Köbler AHD)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Middle High German ''verlāzen'' still covered letting go, releasing, remitting and handing over.^(Köbler MHD) Several of these senses lasted into the modern period: ''jemandem etwas verlassen'' meant to bequeath (Schiller writes that Charles V ''verließ seinem Nachfolger eine Gewalt''), and until the 18th century the verb meant to sell, as when Lessing says no copy will be ''verlassen'' for less than five thalers.^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793) In Early New High German ''mit jemandem etwas verlassen'' meant to agree on something, the source of the old noun ''Verlass'' “agreement”.^(Paul 2002) In Austria it has meant to let or rent out.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The reflexive ''sich auf jemanden verlassen'', to rely on someone, was built in Middle High German with ''an'' rather than ''auf''.^(Paul 2002) From it come ''Verlass'' in ''darauf ist Verlass'' and the adjectives ''verlässlich'' (recorded by Adelung in 1780) and ''zuverlässig''.^(Paul 2002) The participle ''verlassen'' is used as an adjective, “lonely, forsaken; deserted”.^(Wiktionary)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 765 – Old High German ''firlāzan'' appears in glosses.^(Köbler AHD)

+ * 1434 – A weak participle ''vorlassit'' is recorded in a Thuringian document.^(DWB|25, 725)

+ * 16th century – Luther uses ''verlassen'' for “to agree on”.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1780 – Adelung records ''verlässlich'' “reliable”.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 18th century – The sense “to sell” goes out of use.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(reflexive, with auf)'' To [[m|en|rely]] on someone or something, to count on it: ''auf meine Schwester kann ich mich immer verlassen''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|leave]] a place, to go away from it: ''er verließ das Büro um sechs Uhr''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|abandon]] or [[m|en|desert]] someone one was close to, such as a partner or family.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of a feeling or ability, to fail or leave someone: ''der Mut verließ ihn''.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(rare, computing)'' To exit a program.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(dated)'' To leave behind or [[m|en|bequeath]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|lonely]], [[m|en|forsaken]].^(Wiktionary)

+ # Abandoned, [[m|en|deserted]]: ''ein verlassenes Dorf''.^(Wiktionary)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[verlässlich]]

+ * [[Verlassenheit]]

+ * [[Verlass]]

+ * [[Verlassenschaft]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[zuverlässig]]

+ * [[lassen]]

+ * [[en|let]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Darauf ist Verlass'' (“that can be relied on”) uses the noun formed back from the reflexive verb; the older ''Verlass'' “agreement” is obsolete.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}