abtreiben

The German word "abtreiben" is a verb composed of the prefix "ab-" (meaning "away" or "off") and the root verb "treiben" (meaning "to drive" or "to propel"). Together, it literally means "to drive away."

Meaning:
"Abtreiben" commonly means "to abort" (in the context of pregnancy), "to drift away" (e.g., an object drifting with currents or wind), or "to carry away."

Similar words:

• abbrechen (to abort, to break off)
• verhindern (to prevent) — more general, less specifically about driving away
• abdriften (to drift away) — more specific to drifting, less used for abortion

Difference:

• "Abtreiben" is specifically used both in the biological/medical sense (abortion) and physical drift (moving away driven by external forces).
• "Abbrechen" relates to stopping or breaking off something ongoing rather than drifting or expelling.
• "Abdriften" emphasizes gradual drifting, often without control, while "abtreiben" can also imply an active driving away.