verb
niederstechen
stab
Definition & meaning
niederstechen is a German separable verb meaning to stab someone, usually with a knife, and bring them down. It often implies a violent attack and may suggest serious injury or death.
- jemanden niederstechen — to stab someone
- Er wurde niedergestochen. — He was stabbed.
- Der Täter stach sein Opfer nieder. — The perpetrator stabbed his victim.
The verb can also be understood literally as “to stab down,” although it is normally used for stabbing a person.
Grammar & Word origin
- Infinitive: niederstechen
- Present tense: er sticht nieder
- Simple past: er stach nieder
- Perfect: er hat niedergestochen
- Past participle: niedergestochen
- Auxiliary verb: haben {haben }
- Type: separable verb
The word consists of:
Thus, niederstechen literally means “to stab down.”
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- erstechen {erstechen } — to stab someone to death; stronger than niederstechen because it explicitly emphasizes death.
- abstechen {abstechen } — to stab or slaughter; often more colloquial and can also be used for animals.
- jemanden mit einem Messer verletzen {jemanden mit einem Messer verletzen } — to injure someone with a knife; more neutral and less specific, since it does not necessarily imply repeated or fatal stabbing.
Antonyms
There is no exact lexical antonym. Depending on the context, possible opposites include:
- verschonen {verschonen } — to spare someone
- schützen {schützen } — to protect someone
- retten {retten } — to save someone
Common phrases & collocations
- jemanden niederstechen {jemanden niederstechen } — to stab someone
- mit einem Messer niederstechen {mit einem Messer niederstechen } — to stab someone with a knife
- auf offener Straße niedergestochen werden {auf offener Straße niedergestochen werden } — to be stabbed in the street
- ein Opfer niederstechen {ein Opfer niederstechen } — to stab a victim
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Examples
Der Täter will das Opfer niederstechen.verb
The perpetrator wants to stab the victim.
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