Ablehnen
Example: Ich musste das Angebot leider ablehnen, weil es zu teuer war.
Definition
"Ablehnen" means to refuse or reject something, such as an offer or request, often because it is unsuitable or unwanted. For example, in the phrase "Ich musste das Angebot leider ablehnen, weil es zu teuer war," it indicates declining the offer due to its high cost.
Etymology
The word "ablehnen" comes from the German prefix "ab-" meaning 'off' or 'away' and the verb "lehnen," meaning 'to lean.' Originally, it conveyed the idea of leaning away or turning away from something, which naturally evolved into the meaning of rejecting or refusing.
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"Ablehnen" appears in the Vocaplus list "German - General - (B1) - set 6", containing 114 commonly used words.
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