verfügen German · revision 36060

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=15th century}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /fɛʁˈfyːɡən/, [fɛɐ̯ˈfyːɡn̩]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''verfügen''' (third-person singular present verfügt, past tense verfügte, past participle verfügt, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|vervüegen|t=to fit, be proper]], formed [[af|gmh|ver-|vüegen|t2=to fit together]], the ancestor of [[fügen]].^(Duden 7 2020|897)^(Köbler MHD)^(Wiktionary) Kluge dates the Early New High German form to the 15th century and connects it with [[Fuge]] and with the simple verb.^(Kluge 2011|951) In Middle Low German [[m|gml|vorvȫgen]] meant “to arrange, set up”, and the Grimms thought the modern sense may lean on Low German.^(DWB|25, 356)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|897) The same formation is [[nl|vervoegen]], [[da|forføje]] and [[sv|förfoga]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The simple verb goes back to [[goh|fuogen|t=to join, fit together]], recorded from the 8th century, and has cognates in [[osx|fōgian]] and [[ang|fēgan]], whence English [[m|en|fay]] “to fit”;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|3, 631) Pfeifer relates it to [[Fach]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(EWA|3, 631)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Middle High German ''vervüegen'' is rare and found only in documents, meaning “to fit, be fitting”.^(Köbler MHD)^(DWB|25, 356) Early New High German ''verfüegen'' meant “to put in the right place, arrange”, and also “to send someone somewhere”: Luther writes that the chancellor of Baden ''ward wieder zu mir verfügt'', “was sent to me again”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|25, 356)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From “to arrange” came “to cause, to order”, and in this sense the verb became a typical word of officialdom.^(Kluge 2011|951)^(Duden 7 2020|897) From the sense “to send” comes the reflexive ''sich verfügen'' “to betake oneself”, which went the same way as ''sich begeben''.^(Kluge 2011|951)^(Paul 2002) ''Über etwas verfügen'', “to have something at one's disposal”, dates from the 19th century.^(Duden 7 2020|897)^(Paul 2002)

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+ The noun [[Verfügung]] “order, decree” dates from the 16th century according to Pfeifer and the 17th according to Duden; it gave the phrases ''zur Verfügung stehen'' and ''zur Verfügung stellen''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020|897) Schiller uses ''eine Verfügung treffen'' “to make an arrangement” in ''Maria Stuart''.^(Paul 2002) The adjective [[verfügbar]] (19th century) was formed to render ''disponibel''.^(Duden 7 2020|897)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 15th century – Early New High German ''verfüegen'' appears.^(Kluge 2011|951)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 16th century – First record of ''Verfügung'' according to Pfeifer.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 17th century – ''Verfügung'' in the sense “order” according to Duden.^(Duden 7 2020|897)

+ * 19th century – ''über etwas verfügen'' “to have at one's disposal” and ''verfügbar'' appear.^(Duden 7 2020|897)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|order]] or [[m|en|decree]], especially officially: ''Das Amt verfügte den Abriss des alten Speichers.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(with über)'' To decide what happens to someone or something; to have at one's [[m|en|disposal]]: ''Sie kann frei über ihr Erbe verfügen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(with über)'' To have, possess (means, abilities): ''Er verfügt über ausgezeichnete Sprachkenntnisse.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(reflexive, officialese, also humorous)'' To betake oneself somewhere: ''Nach dem Essen verfügte er sich in sein Arbeitszimmer.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Verfügung]]

+ * [[verfügbar]]

+ * [[Verfügbarkeit]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fügen]]

+ * [[Fuge]]

+ * [[befugt]]

+ * [[Fug]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}