klüngeln

Meaning

1. (Germany, Western, weak) to be slow; to delay; to dawdle
2. (Germany, Western, weak) to chat, chatter (often in confidence, or seemingly so)
3. (weak) to engage in nepotism and corruption

Synonyms

eine Hand wäscht die andere

unter einer Decke stecken

Vetternwirtschaft betreiben

man hilft sich gegenseitig z. beidseitigen Vorteil

manus manum lavat

heimliche Absprachen treffen

unlautere Geschäfte machen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈklʏŋəln/

Etymology

Cognate with Dutch: klungelen

In summary

From Low and Central Franconian klöngele. Derived from the noun at hand in Klüngel, originally meaning “ball of wool”. Cognate with Dutch klungelen (“to bungle; to dawdle”).