anliegen

1) Verb: anliegen

Meaning (English):

• to fit closely / to be snug / to lie against (something)
• to be adjacent to / to border on (especially of places/areas)

Typical use:

• Die Jacke liegt eng an. = The jacket fits snugly / lies close to the body.
• Das Grundstück liegt am Wald an. = The property borders on the forest.

Parts / structure:

• an- = on, against
• liegen = to lie
  So anliegen literally means “to lie against.”

German synonyms:

• eng anliegen (common collocation)
• anliegen an (to border on)
• sich anschmiegen (to cling/fit closely; more figurative or descriptive)
• angrenzen an (to border on; for locations)

German antonyms (where applicable):

• abstehen (to stick out, not fit closely)
• locker sitzen (to sit loosely; for clothing)
• entfernt sein (to be far away; for locations)

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2) Noun: das Anliegen (plural: die Anliegen)

Meaning (English):

• a request / concern / matter / issue (something someone wants addressed)
• a cause / interest / objective (something important to someone)

Typical use:

• Ich habe ein Anliegen. = I have a request / a concern.
• Das ist mir ein wichtiges Anliegen. = That is an important concern/objective for me.

Parts / structure: Derived from anliegen in the sense of “to concern / to be a matter at hand.”

German synonyms:

• Bitte (request)
• Wunsch (wish/request)
• Anfrage (inquiry)
• Belang (concern, relevance; somewhat formal)
• Interesse (interest)
• Sache (matter/issue; broad)

German antonyms (if applicable):

• No single fixed opposite, but depending on context:
  • Desinteresse (lack of interest)
  • Gleichgültigkeit (indifference)