German word

spannen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈʃpanən/

Meaning

  • verbstretch

Example

Er spannt das Seil.

He stretches the rope.

Illustration for spannen (stretch)

More examples

Bei Prüfungsangst spannt er sich sofort an.

When he has exam anxiety, he immediately tenses up.

Core concept

A rope is drawn tight so that slack disappears and tension holds it firm.

Common phrases

  • sich anspannen

    tense up

  • die Muskeln spannen

    tense one's muscles

Similar words

ziehen: Pulling something along or toward a place by applying force.
festziehen: Tightening something firmly to secure it and remove slack.
anspannen: Tensing a muscle to make it firm and ready for exertion.

Definition in German

etwas durch Ziehen oder Anziehen so straff machen, dass es fest und nicht locker ist

Word origin

The inherited Germanic verb spannen developed through Old and Middle High German and is related to German Spannung for tension.

Usage tips

  • Spannen focuses on making something taut, while ziehen can describe the pulling action without implying a taut result.

Other meanings

  • tightenverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word