See also: Lenzen

Dutch edit

Pronunciation edit

  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛnzən

Noun edit

lenzen

  1. plural of lens

German edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈlɛn.(t)sən/, [ˈlɛn.t͡sn̩], [-t͡sən], [-sn̩], [-sən]

Etymology 1 edit

From Middle High German lenzen, from lenze (spring).

Verb edit

lenzen (weak, third-person singular present lenzt, past tense lenzte, past participle gelenzt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (poetic, archaic, impersonal) to become spring
Conjugation edit
Related terms edit

Etymology 2 edit

Backformation from faulenzen (to be idle), originally unrelated to Lenz above, but associated with it. Compare the expression fauler Lenz or lauer Lenz (period of idleness).

Verb edit

lenzen (weak, third-person singular present lenzt, past tense lenzte, past participle gelenzt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (colloquial) to be idle; to hang out
    Synonyms: abhängen, rumhängen
Conjugation edit
Derived terms edit

Etymology 3 edit

19th century, derived from Dutch lens (slack, empty”, also “dry, of a ship).

Verb edit

lenzen (weak, third-person singular present lenzt, past tense lenzte, past participle gelenzt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (nautical) to pump out or drain a ship
Conjugation edit
Related terms edit

Etymology 4 edit

From Middle Low German lensen. Cognate with Dutch lenzen. Perhaps from the same adjective as under etymology 3, though this is not certain.

Verb edit

lenzen (weak, third-person singular present lenzt, past tense lenzte, past participle gelenzt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (nautical, usually vor dem Wind lenzen) to sail slowly in front the wind
Conjugation edit

Further reading edit