wabbeln

German

Etymology

From Middle High German wabelen, merged with related Middle Low German *wabbelen. To the former compare Old Norse vafla, to the latter dialectal Dutch wobbelen, English wabble, wobble. All of these are iteratives of Proto-Germanic *wabōną, whence Middle High German waben (“to move about”), Old English wafian (modern English wave).

In the High German form, the -bb- is due to blocking of open-syllable lengthening, which is fairly common before the syllables -el- and -er-. In the Low German form it must be due to expressive gemination.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvabəln/, [ˈva.bl̩n], [ˈʋa-], [-bəln]

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

wabbeln (weak, third-person singular present wabbelt, past tense wabbelte, past participle gewabbelt, auxiliary haben)

1. (informal) to wobble, wiggle; said of jelly/jello, human body fat, and the like

   Synonym: schwabbeln

Derived terms

• wabbelig

Low German

Etymology

Cognate with English wobble and wabble.

Verb

wabbeln (past singular wabbel, past participle wabbelt, auxiliary verb hebben)

1. to wobble, wiggle, shake, waggle

Conjugation

Conjugation of wabbeln (weak verb)

infinitive	wabbeln
indicative	present	preterite
1st person singular	wabbel	wabbel
2nd person singular	wabbelst	wabbelst
3rd person singular	wabbelt	wabbel
plural	wabbelt	wabbeln
imperative	present	—
singular	wabbel
plural	wabbelt
participle	present	past
	wabbel	wabbelt
Note: This conjugation is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.