German word

verschleppen

Pronunciation

IPA/fɛɐ̯ˈʃlɛpən/

Meaning

  • verbkidnap

Example

Der Täter verschleppte das Kind in ein verlassenes Haus.

The perpetrator kidnapped the child and took them to an abandoned house.

Illustration for verschleppen (kidnap)

More examples

Um Zeit zu gewinnen, versuchte er, die Verhandlungen zu verschleppen.

To gain time, he tried to prolong the negotiations.

Core concept

Something is dragged away from where it belongs, while a process is dragged out instead of allowed to advance.

Common phrases

  • jemanden verschleppen

    abduct someone

  • eine Entscheidung verschleppen

    put off a decision

  • einen Prozess verschleppen

    drag out a trial

Similar words

entführen: To abduct a person and move them elsewhere against their will.
abführen: To take a person away by force for detention or transport.
mitnehmen: To take someone along, usually with their agreement or consent.
wegschleppen: To drag a person or object away to another place by force.

Definition in German

mit Kraft jemanden oder etwas von einem Ort zum anderen ziehen oder tragen; übertragen: durch Unterlassen einen Prozess unnötig verlängern

Word origin

Built from ver- and schleppen, 'to drag or haul', verschleppen extends the physical idea of dragging something away to forcible removal and prolonged delay.

Usage tips

  • As a verb with inseparable ver-, verschleppen stays together in finite clauses and forms the past participle verschleppt without ge-.

Other meanings

  • forcibly transportverb
  • delayverb

Opposites

Related words

  • Verschleppungkidnappingnoun
  • verschlepptpostponedadjective

Word lists with this word