vatten

From earlier vaten, from Middle Dutch vāten, from Old Dutch *faton, from Proto-West Germanic *fatōn, from Proto-Germanic *fatōną. By surface analysis, vat (“vat, keg, vessel”) +‎ -en.

The short vowel, which appears from the 15th century, is usually explained through influence of the underlying noun vat (plural vaten). However, one may object to this that verb and noun are usually not closely associated. An alternative theory derives it from the contracted preterite vatte (from earlier vātede), in which the vowel would have been reshortened because of the following geminate. In this case, the objection is that the same did not happen in any other verb (like haten etc.). Finally, an intensive derivation is also imaginable (cf. pairs such as schrapen ~ schrappen).

• IPA^(key): /ˈvɑtə(n)/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑtən

vatten

1. (transitive) to grasp
2. (transitive) to grasp mentally, to understand

   Synonym: begrijpen

3. (transitive) to catch, to apprehend
4. (transitive) to catch, to be afflicted with (an infectuous disease)

• Afrikaans: vat
• Negerhollands: vat, fat

From Old Norse vatn, from Proto-Germanic *watōr, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥.

• IPA^(key): /¹vatːɛn/, [ˈvǎt̪ːɛn̪]
• Homophone: watten

• Audio:

  (file)

vatten n

1. (uncountable) water

   Kan jag få ett glas vatten?

   Can I have a glass of water?

2. (countable) a body of water, "a" water
   • 1917, “Omkring tiggarn [tiggaren] från Luossa [Around the beggar from Luossa]”, in Dan Andersson (lyrics), Gunde Johansson (music), Våra vackraste visor Vol. 2 [Our most beautiful songs Vol. 2]‎^[1], performed by Hootenanny Singers:

     Må de svarta, salta vatten svalka kinder feberröda. Må vi vara mil från livet innan morgonen är full. Ej av denna världen var jag och oändlig vedermöda led jag för min oro, otro och min heta kärleks skull.

     May the black, salty waters cool cheeks feverishly red. May we be miles [tens of kilometers] from [the] life before the morning is full. Not of this world I was and endless hardship I suffered for my anxiousness [disquietude (restlessness, etc.) or worry], unbelief [religious doubts] and my hot love's sake.

   • 1999, Ken Ring, Jojje Wadenius, “Eld och djupa vatten [Fire and deep waters]”, in Vägen tillbaka [The way back]‎^[2]:

     Men, ska jag säga: Akta dig för eld och djupa vatten. Men, ska jag säga: Spring aldrig, aldrig bort från mig.

     But, I will [shall] say: Beware of fire and deep waters. But, I will say: Never ever run away from me.

• “vatten”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “vatten”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “vatten”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• Svensk MeSH