verbessern German · revision 35569

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1230, Diu Crône|origins=gem-pro *batizô}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /fɛɐ̯ˈbɛsɐn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''verbessern''' (third-person singular present verbessert, past tense verbesserte, past participle verbessert, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|verbezzern]], formed [[af|gmh|ver-|bezzern|t2=to make better]].^(Köbler MHD)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The prefix intensifies the meaning of [[bessern]], [[goh|bezzirōn]] (10th/11th century), a verb formed from the comparative [[besser]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|25, 106)^(Kluge 2011|114) The comparative is Old High German [[m|goh|bezziro]], from [[gem-pro|*batizô]], also seen in [[got|𐌱𐌰𐍄𐌹𐌶𐌰|tr=batiza]], [[non|betri]] and [[ang|betera]].^(Kluge 2011|114)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) It is one of the forms built on a Germanic stem meaning “good” (see [[bass]]) that serve as the comparison of [[gut]] in all the Germanic languages; the further origin of the stem is uncertain.^(Kluge 2011|114)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Middle High German ''verbezzern'' is first recorded in Heinrich von dem Türlin's ''Diu Crône'' (about 1230).^(Köbler MHD) It meant “to make good, settle, make better, repair”, and also “to pay a fine or wergild for something”.^(Köbler MHD) Middle Low German ''vorbēteren'' meant “to mend”, and ''vorbēteringe'' was a fine imposed by a court or a compensation.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Grimms note that ''bessern'' and ''verbessern'' had the same meaning in Middle High German and older New High German, and that the finer differences of modern usage come from the intensifying force of ''ver-''.^(DWB|25, 106) The verb was used of real things, such as books, houses and estates, and of abstract ones such as abuses or a country's condition.^(DWB|25, 106) The noun [[Verbesserung]] is recorded in Upper German from the 15th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)

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+ Today the verb also means “to correct” (a text, a mistake), and in sports “to better” a record or a time.^(Duden GWDS 1999) The playful blend [[verschlimmbessern]] “to make worse by trying to improve” combines it with ''verschlimmern''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * About 1230 – Middle High German ''verbezzern'' appears in ''Diu Crône''.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 15th century – ''Verbesserung'' is first recorded in Upper German.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1487 – ''das Verbessern'' is used as a noun in a document of the Imperial Diet.^(DWB|25, 107)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|improve]], make better: ''Die Stadt will den Nahverkehr verbessern.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(sports)'' To better a record or a time: ''Sie verbesserte ihre Bestzeit um zwei Sekunden.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To [[m|en|correct]] a text or a mistake: ''Die Lehrerin verbessert die Diktate.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' To become better: ''Seine Noten haben sich verbessert.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' To improve one's situation, especially financially: ''Mit der neuen Stelle hat sie sich verbessert.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Verbesserung]]

+ * [[Verbesserer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[verschlimmbessern]]

+ * [[besser]]

+ * [[bessern]]

+ * [[Buße]]

+ * [[en|better]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}