verzichten German · revision 35580

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=1785|origins=ine-pro *deiḱ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ferˈtsɪçtən/, [fɐˈt͡sɪç.tn̩], [fɛɐ̯-]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''verzichten''' (third-person singular present verzichtet, past tense verzichtete, past participle verzichtet, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a verb formed in the late 18th century from the noun [[Verzicht]] “renunciation”, [[gmh|verziht]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2007)^(Wiktionary) The noun is an abstract to [[m|gmh|verzīhen|t=to refuse, renounce]], [[goh|firzīhan|t=to refuse]], the source of [[verzeihen]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|906)^(Kluge 2011|958) The prefix gave [[zeihen]] “to accuse” the opposite sense, roughly “not to claim for oneself”, and this general meaning survives in the noun, while the verb narrowed to “to forgive”.^(Kluge 2011|958) That verb continues [[gem-pro|*tīhaną]], from [[ine-pro|*deiḱ-|t=to show]], the root of [[la|dīcō|t=to say]] and [[grc|δείκνυμι|tr=deíknumi|t=to show]].^(Kluge 2011|1005)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ Because [[gml|vortichten]] and [[dum|vertichten]] are recorded much earlier (15th century), Wiktionary thinks the High German verb was probably modelled on them.^(Wiktionary) The Grimms' dictionary considers this but finds the evidence too scanty to decide.^(DWB|25, 2587)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Campe's dictionary is the first to list ''verzichten'' “to make or perform renunciation”, and Paul dates it to 1785.^(DWB|25, 2587)^(Paul 2002) A single earlier variant reading, ''verzichtet sich des der sun nit'' in a 15th-century copy of the ''Kaiserrecht'' of 1372, follows the older construction of ''sich verzeihen'' with the genitive and is not connected with the modern use.^(DWB|25, 2587)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Verzichten'' took over the meaning of reflexive ''sich (einer Sache) verzeihen'' “to give something up”, which was usual until the 18th century, as in Paul Gerhardt's ''es verzeiht sich aller Freuden'', and also replaced phrases such as ''Verzicht tun'' and ''Verzicht leisten''.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|25, 2587)^(Pfeifer 1993) The new verb is construed with ''auf'' and the accusative, following a construction of the older verb, and is used much more often of activities; the religious and ascetic uses of ''sich verzeihen'' were not taken over.^(DWB|25, 2587) Dahlmann's transitive ''verzichtete der herzog sogar sein herzogthum'' (1840) is unusual.^(DWB|25, 2587) The dialect dictionaries list the word as taken from the standard language, and the Swabian dictionary calls it “hardly popular”.^(DWB|25, 2587)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1173 – Middle High German ''verziht'' “renunciation”.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 15th century – Middle Dutch ''vertichten'' is recorded.^(DWB|25, 2587)^(Wiktionary)

+ * 1785 – First record of ''verzichten''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1811 – Campe's dictionary lists the verb.^(DWB|25, 2587)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|renounce]], give up a claim or right: ''auf das Erbe verzichten'', ''zugunsten der Schwester verzichten''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To do without, [[m|en|forgo]]: ''auf Zucker verzichten'', ''auf jemandes Hilfe nicht verzichten können''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To refrain from: ''auf eine Antwort verzichten''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[verzichtbar]]

+ * [[Verzichter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[verzeihen]]

+ * [[Verzicht]]

+ * [[zeihen]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}