German word

niederschlagen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈniːdɐˌʃlaːgən/

Meaning

  • verbknock down

Example

Der Boxer schlägt seinen Gegner nieder.

The boxer knocks his opponent down.

Illustration for niederschlagen (knock down)

More examples

Die ständigen Rückschläge schlugen ihn emotional nieder.

The constant setbacks knocked him down emotionally.

Core concept

Something is struck downward until it is overcome, while an effect settles visibly into an outcome.

Common phrases

  • jemanden durch Kritik niederschlagen

    knock someone down with criticism

  • den Mut niederschlagen

    crush someone's courage

Similar words

niederwerfen: Force a person or object to the ground by pushing or throwing.
umhauen: Knock someone or something down with a powerful blow.
umwerfen: Make a person or object fall by striking, bumping, or tipping it.

Definition in German

jemanden oder etwas zu Boden schlagen; auch einen Aufstand oder Widerstand gewaltsam unterdrücken; reflexiv: sich in Ergebnissen oder Aussagen zeigen

Word origin

The compound nieder-schlagen literally means 'strike down', and this physical idea developed into 'suppress' and 'be reflected in' for the reflexive construction.

Usage tips

  • The forms are 'schlug nieder' and 'hat niedergeschlagen', so the past participle keeps the prefix attached even though the present-tense verb separates it.

Other meanings

  • suppressverb
  • reflectverb

Opposites

Related words

  • niedergeschlagendejectedadjective

Word lists with this word