German

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Etymology

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From Middle High German umbzūnen, umbeziunen, equivalent to um- +‎ zäunen. Compare Middle Low German ümmetünen.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ʊmˈt͡sɔɪ̯nən/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: um‧zäu‧nen

Verb

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umzäunen (weak, third-person singular present umzäunt, past tense umzäunte, past participle umzäunt, auxiliary haben)

  1. to fence in, enclose
    Synonym: einzäunen
    • 1933, “Die Moorsoldaten [Peat Bog Soldiers]”, Johann Esser, Wolfgang Langhoff (lyrics), Rudi Goguel (music), performed by leftist political prisoners in Nazi concentration camps:
      Auf und nieder geh'n die Posten, / keiner, keiner kann hindurch. / Flucht wird nur das Leben kosten, / vierfach ist umzäunt die Burg.
      Up and down the guards are walking, / Nobody, nobody can get through. / Escape would but waste one's life, / Fourfold is enclosed the fort.

Conjugation

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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  • umzäunen” in Duden online
  • umzäunen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache