knattern

German

Etymology

Since the late 17th century, probably from Central German dialects. Ultimately of imitative origin. Perhaps comparable to knittern (to crease, crumple), with which it shares an ablaut relationship.[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈknatərn/, [ˈkna.tɐn]
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: knat‧tern

Verb

knattern (weak, third-person singular present knattert, past tense knatterte, past participle geknattert, auxiliary haben) (intransitive)

  1. to rattle, chatter, clatter (make a quick series of banging noises, e.g. like the engine of a motorcycle)
  2. (slang) to shag, fuck (have sex)

Conjugation

References

  1. ^ Wolfgang Pfeifer, editor (1993), “knattern”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen (in German), 2nd edition, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN

Further reading

  • knattern” in Duden online
  • knattern” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache