schlängeln

German

Etymology

Schlange +‎ -eln.

Pronunciation

  • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)

Verb

schlängeln (weak, third-person singular present schlängelt, past tense schlängelte, past participle geschlängelt, auxiliary haben) (reflexive)

  1. (literally) to move in a snakelike manner
    Eine Blindschleiche schlängelt sich über den Weg.
    A blindworm crosses the footpath.
  2. (figuratively) to pick one's way, to snake (to move carefully in a winding path around various obstacles)
    Er schlängelte sich durch die Menschenmenge.
    He picked his way through the crowd.
  3. (figuratively) to snake, to meander, to twist (to follow a curving or winding path; of roads, rails, etc.)
    Der Weg schlängelt sich durch den Wald.
    The path snakes through the forest.

Conjugation

Further reading