die Fehlanzeige, -n
no luck · error message · negative result
The German word "Fehlanzeige" is a noun composed of "Fehl" (from fehlen, meaning "to be missing" or "lack of") and "Anzeige" (meaning "indication" or "report").
Meaning:
It is an informal expression meaning "no sign of something," "negative report," or simply "nothing found." Often used to indicate that an expected result or fulfillment did not occur.
Similar words:
- "Ausfall" (failure, outage)
- "Misserfolg" (failure)
- "Absage" (rejection, cancellation)
Difference:
- Fehlanzeige implies the absence of something expected or requested, usually in a colloquial tone.
- Ausfall stresses failure or breakdown, often technical.
- Misserfolg is a broader term for failure without focusing on expectation.
- Absage is a formal refusal or cancellation, not just absence of a result.
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Examples
Ich suchte nach meinem Buch, aber Fehlanzeige!noun
I looked for my book, but no luck!
Nach mehreren Versuchen blieb die Fehlanzeige auf dem Bildschirm bestehen.noun
After several attempts, the error message remained on the screen.
Trotz drei neuer Versuche kam wieder nur eine Fehlanzeige zurück.noun
Despite three new attempts, only another negative result came back.
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