abklappern
comb · traipse around
Mehrere Orte oder Personen nacheinander besuchen, um etwas zu suchen oder zu erledigen.
The German verb "abklappern" means "to canvass," "to comb through," or "to visit all places" systematically.
- It is made of two parts:
- "ab" (prefix, here indicating thoroughness or completion)
- "klappern" (to clatter or rattle)
"Klappern" alone refers to making a rattling or clattering sound, but combined with "ab," it figuratively means to go through or search all places in a sequence.
Similar words:
- absuchen (to search)
- durchgehen (to go through)
- abfahren (to travel along, visiting systematically)
Differences:
- "Abklappern" emphasizes visiting places one after another, often physically going to locations.
- "Absuchen" focuses more broadly on searching/scanning.
- "Durchgehen" can mean more general passing through, not necessarily actively searching.
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Examples
Wir mussten das ganze Viertel abklappern.verb
We had to comb the whole neighborhood.
Peter musste viele Läden abklappern, um die passenden Schuhe zu finden.verb
Peter had to traipse around many shops to find the right shoes.
Sie klappert heute jede Straße ab, um ihre Freunde zu finden.verb
She combs every street today to find her friends.
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