versagen

Meaning

  1. (intransitive, weak) to fail, to give out, to break down
  2. (ditransitive, weak) to refuse; to deny

Frequency

B2
Pronounced as (IPA)
[fɛɐ̯ˈzaːɡn̩]
Etymology

In summary

From Middle High German versagen, virsagen, vorsagen, fersagen, from Old High German firsagen, firsagēn (“to deny, refuse, excuse”), from Proto-West Germanic *frasaggjan, equivalent to ver- + sagen. Cognate with English forsay, Dutch verzeggen (“to deny, forbid”), German Low German verseggen (“to refuse, deny”), Swedish försäga (“to misspeak, say too much”).

Notes

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