wanken

From Middle High German wanken, from Old High German wankōn, from Proto-West Germanic *wankōn, from Proto-Germanic *wankōną.

• IPA^(key): /ˈvaŋkən/, , ,

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: wan‧ken

wanken (weak, third-person singular present wankt, past tense wankte, past participle gewankt, auxiliary sein or haben)

1. to sway, waver (swing slowly, usually such that there is danger of fall or collapse)

   Synonym: schwanken (less suggestive of fall)

   Der Boxer wankte, fiel aber nicht. ― The boxer swayed, but did not fall.

   Das Gebäude wankte gefährlich. ― The building was swaying dangerously.

2. to stagger, totter, reel (walk swayingly)

   Synonyms: schwanken, torkeln, taumeln

3. (figurative) to falter, waver (be on the verge of defection, grow weak in enthusiasm, faith, loyalty)

   Auch in aller Drangsal wollen wir nicht wanken und unsere Überzeugung treu bekennen.

   Even in all tribulation let us not falter and faithfully profess our conviction.

• Wanken
• wankeln

• “wanken” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “wanken” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “wanken” in Duden online
• “wanken” in OpenThesaurus.de

From Middle Low German wanken, from Old Saxon wankōn, from Proto-West Germanic *wankōn.

wanken (past wank, past participle wankt, auxiliary verb hebben)

1. to vary
2. to fluctuate