schmachten

German

Etymology

17th century, from Schmacht +‎ -en, after Middle Low German smachten. The noun and the prefixed verb verschmachten are also attested in northern Middle High German (smaht, versmahten). Ultimately derived from the adjective Proto-Germanic *smēhaz (“small, little”). Related with Ancient Greek μικρός (mikrós), Latin mica.[1]

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈʃmaxtən/, [ˈʃmaχ.tn̩]
  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: schmach‧ten

Verb

schmachten (weak, third-person singular present schmachtet, past tense schmachtete, past participle geschmachtet, auxiliary haben)

  1. to suffer hardship, especially severe hunger or thirst
    Der grausame Ritter ließ die Gefangenen monatelang im Kerker schmachten.
    The cruel knight left the prisoners languish in the dungeon for months.
    Erni erzählte mir, er habe bei der Wanderung in der Hitze ganz schön geschmachtet.
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
  2. (figurative, now the main use) to pine, languish
    Die guten Freunde schmachteten nach dem Labsal eines Wortes.
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
    Nach dem Ausflug in die Sahara schmachtete die Reisegruppe nach Wasser.
    After the trip to the Sahara, the tour group was longing for water.

Conjugation

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Derived terms

References
  1. Pokorny, Julius (1959), “2807”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 3, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 2807

Further reading
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