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noun

der Deckel, –

lid

Ein fester Gegenstand, der etwas von oben verschließt oder schützt, zum Beispiel einen Topf oder eine Schachtel.

Definition & meaning

Deckel is a masculine noun. Its plural is also Deckel.

  1. Lid or cover
    A removable object used to close or cover a container, pot, box, or similar object.

    • Der Deckel auf dem Topf ist heiß. — The lid on the pot is hot.
    • Mach den Deckel auf die Dose. — Put the lid on the tin.

  2. Cap or protective cover
    It can refer to a covering part, such as the cap of a bottle or the cover of a technical device.

  3. Colloquial: bill or tab
    In a restaurant, pub, or similar setting, Deckel can informally mean the bill or a running tab.

    • Machst du bitte den Deckel? — Could you bring the bill, please?
    • Er hat noch einen Deckel in der Kneipe. — He still has an unpaid tab at the pub.

  4. Figurative: limit or cap
    In compounds such as Preisdeckel , it means a maximum limit or cap.

    • Die Regierung führte einen Preisdeckel ein. — The government introduced a price cap.

Grammar & Word origin

  • Gender: masculine: der Deckel
  • Plural: die Deckel
  • Pronunciation: approximately DEK-el
  • Related verb: decken — to cover

The word comes from the Germanic verb decken , meaning “to cover.” The ending -el forms a noun referring to an object used for covering. It is closely related to Dach , “roof,” and to English “deck.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • Abdeckung — a general cover or covering; more technical and less specifically associated with containers.
  • Verschluss — a closure or fastening device; it emphasizes sealing rather than simply covering.
  • Kappe — a cap, usually for a bottle, tube, or small object.
  • Rechnung — the standard word for “bill”; Deckel is colloquial and especially common for a pub or restaurant tab.
  • Obergrenze — an upper limit; it is more formal and precise than the figurative use of Deckel.

Antonyms

There is no single direct antonym for Deckel when it means “lid” or “cover.” Depending on the context, contrasting words can be:

  • Öffnung — an opening, especially the part that a lid closes.
  • Unterseite — underside, when contrasting the top cover with the bottom part.
  • Untergrenze — lower limit, as a contrast to the figurative meaning “upper limit.”

Common phrases & collocations

  • den Deckel aufmachen — to open the lid
  • den Deckel zumachen — to close the lid
  • den Deckel draufmachen — to put the lid on; figuratively, to bring something to an end
  • den Deckel draufhalten — to keep something under control or suppress it
  • eins auf den Deckel bekommen — to get told off, punished, or defeated
  • Der passt wie der Deckel auf den Topf. — Literally “It fits like the lid on the pot”; used when two things or people are a perfect match.
  • jemanden unter einen Deckel bringen — to bring different people or things under one common arrangement or authority
  • einen Deckel anschreiben lassen — to put a purchase on a tab, especially in a pub

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Examples

Ich lege den Deckel auf die Tasse.noun

I put the lid on the cup.

Die Deckel liegen auf dem Tisch.noun

The lids are lying on the table.

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