zürnen

German

Etymology

From Middle High German zürnen, from Old High German zurnen.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈtsʏrnən/, [ˈt͡sʏʁ.nən], [ˈt͡sʏɐ̯-], [-nn̩]
  • Audio:(file)

Verb

zürnen (weak, third-person singular present zürnt, past tense zürnte, past participle gezürnt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (dated or literary) to be angry [(optional) with dative ‘with’]
    Gott zürnte dem sündigen Volk.
    God was wrathful with the sinful people.
    Für dieses Wort zürnte er seiner Frau noch lange.
    For this word he remained angry at his wife for quite long.
    • 1787, Friedrich Schiller, Don Karlos, Infant von Spanien, 4. Akt, 9. Auftritt; republished as R. D. Boylan, transl., (Please provide a date or year):
      Der König zürnt, / Und meine schöne Mutter weint.
      The king is angry, and my mother weeps.

Usage notes

  • In a general sense the word is now rare in all registers. It is still used in literary German in specific contexts, especially of God and other moral authorities, or otherwise for lasting, deep-rooted anger.

Conjugation

Derived terms

Further reading

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