abgebrüht
German
editEtymology
editAttested from the 16th century. Formally, ab (“off”) + gebrüht (“scalded, boiled”), based on the idea that things are hardened or “steeled” by boiling (e.g. eggs, compare hartgesotten, English hard-boiled). At the same time, perhaps originally, from vulgar Middle Low German brǖden (“to fuck”, also in the sense of “to afflict”), cognate and synonymous with early modern German bräuten, from Braut (“bride”); meaning that someone is the opposite of “innocent”.
Pronunciation
editAdjective
editabgebrüht (strong nominative masculine singular abgebrühter, comparative abgebrühter, superlative am abgebrühtesten)
- (chiefly derogatory, sometimes commendatory) callous and cunning; experienced in “the game”, in immoral behaviour
- Synonym: durchtrieben
Declension
editPositive forms of abgebrüht
Comparative forms of abgebrüht
Superlative forms of abgebrüht
See also
editFurther reading
edit- “abgebrüht” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache