German word

weichen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈvaɪ̯çn̩/

Meaning

  • verbyield

Example

Er wich dem Druck.

He yielded to the pressure.

Illustration for weichen (yield)

More examples

Der Läufer weicht dem Hindernis.

The runner avoids the obstacle.

Core concept

A person steps aside as an advancing force presses forward, so the person retreats or gives way.

Common phrases

  • dem Weg weichen

    give way

  • einem Angriff weichen

    evade an attack

  • dem Druck weichen

    yield to pressure

Similar words

ausweichen: Move off a path to avoid an obstacle or another person.
nachgeben: Yield to pressure or demands by ending resistance.
zurückweichen: Draw back in fear or before a display of force.
zurücktreten: Withdraw one step from a position or location.

Definition in German

Sich von etwas entfernen oder jemandem Raum lassen; im übertragenen Sinn einem Druck oder Trend nachgeben.

Word origin

The verb is inherited from Germanic, with Old High German wīhhan and Middle High German wîchen referring to moving away or withdrawing.

Usage tips

  • In the sense of yielding, weichen is intransitive and normally takes a dative phrase, as in 'einem Druck weichen' or 'dem Weg weichen'.

Other meanings

  • retreatverb
  • give inverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word