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für lau. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
für lau, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
für lau in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
für lau you have here. The definition of the word
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für lau, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
German
Etymology
From West Central German dialects, from für (“for”) + a word that is generally derived from Yiddish לא (loy, “no, not”), pronounced lou in Western Yiddish, from Hebrew לֹא (lō, “no, not”).
Alternatively lau could be simply the adjective lau (literally “lukewarm”), which is also used for “lazy, parasitic” in the same dialects. The most probable scenario is perhaps that both words have influenced each other.
Pronunciation
Adverb
für lau
- (informal, regional, especially western Germany) for free
- Synonyms: für umme, gratis, umsonst, kostenlos
2018 April 18, David Hugendick, “Über Möglichkeiten des Gelderwerbs”, in ZEITMagazin:Nun ist es so: Solange wir noch ein Dasein im stählernen Gehäuse der alten, spaßbefreiten Arbeitswelt fristen, wollen wir lediglich für Dinge bezahlt werden, die wir nur höchst ungern tun. Und frech werden wir gerne noch für lau.- (please add an English translation of this quotation)