neigen

From Middle Dutch neigen, from Old Dutch neigen, from Proto-West Germanic *hnaigijan, from Proto-Germanic *hnaigijaną, the causative of nijgen.

The weak verb adopted most intransitive uses from strong nijgen in modern Dutch, the latter being restricted to “bowing as a sign of respect”. Compare however genegen (“inclined to”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɛi̯ɣə(n)/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛi̯ɣən
• Homophone: nijgen

neigen

1. to bend over, lean (towards)
2. to tend, incline

Conjugation of neigen (weak)
infinitive	neigen
past singular	neigde
past participle	geneigd
infinitive	neigen
gerund	neigen n
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	neig	neigde
2nd person sing. (jij)	neigt, neig2	neigde
2nd person sing. (u)	neigt	neigde
2nd person sing. (gij)	neigt	neigde
3rd person singular	neigt	neigde
plural	neigen	neigden
subjunctive sing.1	neige	neigde
subjunctive plur.1	neigen	neigden
imperative sing.	neig
imperative plur.1	neigt
participles	neigend	geneigd
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

• neiging
• geneigd zijn

From a merger of Middle High German nīgen (intransitive, strong) and neigen (transitive, weak), from Old High German nīgan and neigen, from Proto-Germanic *hnīganą and its causative *hnaigijaną.

Cognate with Dutch nijgen and neigen, Old English hnīgan and Old English hnǣgan, Old Norse hnīga and hneiga. Strong forms have been absent from the standard language since the 16th century, but survive in some dialects.

• IPA^(key): /ˈnaɪ̯ɡən/, [ˈnaɪ̯.ɡŋ̍], [-ɡən]

• Audio (Germany):

  (file)

• Audio (Austria):

  (file)

neigen (weak, third-person singular present neigt, past tense neigte, past participle geneigt, auxiliary haben)

1. (transitive) to incline, slant, tilt, bend, lower (move something in some direction by bowing or turning slightly)

   Die Sträucher neigen ihre Zweige.

   The shrubs are lowering their twigs.

2. (reflexive or intransitive) to incline, slant, lean, bow (intransitive use always requires an adverb of place)

   Die Wand neigt sich.

   The wall is slanting.

   Die Wand neigt (sich) zur Seite. (Here reflexive use may imply the inclination is increasing.)

   The wall is slanting to the side.

3. (intransitive) to be inclined, to tend towards, to have a preference for [with zu ‘something’]

   Ich neige zu dieser Lösung.

   I am inclined to this solution.

• “neigen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “neigen” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “neigen” in Duden online
• “neigen” in OpenThesaurus.de

From Old Dutch neigen

neigen

1. to (cause to) bend down
2. to lay down, to rest (the head)
3. to incline

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

• nêgen

• Dutch: neigen
• Limburgish: neige, nèège

• “neighen”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “neigen (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I

From Proto-West Germanic *hnaigijan.

neigen

1. to cause to bend down
2. to incline

• Middle Dutch: neigen
  • Dutch: neigen
  • Limburgish: neige, nèège

• “nēgen”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012