gammeln

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡaməln/, ,

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Borrowed from German Low German and Middle Low German gamelen, from Old Saxon *gamal (attested in the past participle gigamalōd), from Proto-Germanic *gamalaz (“weak, old”).

Cognate to Old English gamolian. The verb pertains to an adjective meaning “old” attested in Middle Dutch gamel, Old English gamol, Old Norse gamall (whence forms in all modern Scandinavian languages).

gammeln (weak, third-person singular present gammelt, past tense gammelte, past participle gegammelt, auxiliary haben)

1. (of food, figurative) To become old; to rot.

   Das Brot von letzter Woche gammelt im Schrank.

   Last week’s bread is rotting in the cupboard.

• Gammel
• gammelig
• vergammeln

Originally a southern German dialect word. Derived from Middle High German gamel, variant of gamen (“amusement”), from Old High German gaman, from Proto-West Germanic *gaman. Related to English game.

gammeln (weak, third-person singular present gammelt, past tense gammelte, past participle gegammelt, auxiliary haben)

1. (informal) To bum around; to do nothing productive; to be idle; to live the life of a hobo.

   Nach der Schule hab ich zwei Jahre nur gegammelt.

   After finishing school I haven't done anything productive for two years.

• Gammler
• herumgammeln

• “gammeln” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “gammeln” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “gammeln” in Duden online