Verlegen

August 7, 2025, 11:02 PM

Dutch

Alternative forms

• (obsolete) verleegen

Etymology

From Middle Dutch verleghen (“weakened, spoilt”), past participle of Middle Dutch verliggen (“to lie wrong, be stuck, whither away”). By surface analysis, ver- +‎ liggen.^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vərˈleːɣə(n)/
• ||

• Hyphenation: ver‧le‧gen
• Rhymes: -eːɣən

Adjective

verlegen (comparative verlegener, superlative verlegenst)

1. shy, bashful, timid

1. Synonyms: beschroomd, bedeesd, bleu, schroomvallig, schuchter, schuw, timideDe peuter was verlegen en verborg zich achter zijn ouders. ― The toddler was shy and hid behind his parents.
2. embarrassed
3. lacking, having a shortageOns team zit nog om een bioloog verlegen. ― Our team still lacks a biologist.
4. (obsolete) spoiled, rotten

Derived terms

• verlegenheid

Descendants

• Negerhollands: verlegen, verleegen
• Petjo: ferlehen
• → Sranan Tongo: ferleigi

References

1. van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “verlegen”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute

Anagrams

• verlenge

German

Etymology 1

From Middle High German verlegen (“to misplace, obstruct”), from Old High German firleggen (“to cover”). By surface analysis, ver- +‎ legen.^[1]

Verb

verlegen (weak, third-person singular present verlegt, past tense verlegte, past participle verlegt, auxiliary haben)

1. to misplace, to mislayseine Brille/Schlüssel verlegen ― to misplace/mislay one's glasses/key
2. to layein Kabel/Schienen verlegen ― to lay a cable/rail
3. to reschedule, to postpone, to adjourn, to put off, to bring forwardeine Besprechung auf einen anderen Tag verlegen ― to reschedule/postpone a meeting to another day
4. to transfer, to shift, to relocateArbeitskräfte an einen anderen Standort verlegen ― to transfer/shift/relocate a workforce to another location
5. (archaic) to supply, to provide for; to expend, to disburse

• Near-synonyms: auslegen, versorgen, besorgen
• to publishein Buch/eine Fachzeitschrift verlegen ― to publish a book/a journal
• (reflexive) to resort (to) Sie verlegten sich auf politischen und wirtschaftlichen Druck. ― They resorted to political and economic pressure.Als ihre Wasservorräte knapp wurden, verlegten sie sich aufs Regenwassersammeln. ― When their water supplies ran low, they resorted to collecting rainwater.
• (dated) to block, to obstruct with* [dative ‘someone's’ *and accusative ‘way, route, internal organ, etc.’] jemandem die Zufahrt verlegen ― to obstruct someone's approach
• (obsolete) to refute, to disprove

1. Synonym: widerlegen

Conjugation

Conjugation of verlegen (weak, auxiliary haben)

Composed forms of verlegen (weak, auxiliary haben)

Derived terms

• Verleger m
• Verlegung f
• Verlegen n

Related terms

• verlegend, verlegt
• Verlag
• ablegen, anlegen, auflegen
• beilegen, beiseitelegen, nachlegen
• überlegen, vorlegen, weglegen

Etymology 2

Older meaning “indecisive”, from Middle High German verlegen (“spoilt by idleness or flirtation”), from Old High German firlegan (“sluggish, adulterous”), from firliggen (“to commit adultery”).^[2]

Adjective

verlegen (strong nominative masculine singular verlegener, comparative verlegener, superlative am verlegensten)

1. abashed, embarrassed, confused, disconcerted, self-consciousein verlegener Blick
2. lacking, short of nicht um Worte verlegen
3. (rare) creased (from having been lain on)

Declension

Positive forms of verlegen

Comparative forms of verlegen

Superlative forms of verlegen

Derived terms

• Verlegenheit f

References

1. Wolfgang Pfeifer, editor (1993), “verlegen#wb-1”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen (in German), 2nd edition, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN
2. Wolfgang Pfeifer, editor (1993), “verlegen#wb-2”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen (in German), 2nd edition, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN