schmettern

German

Etymology

From Middle High German smetern (“to chatter, rattle”). In several dialects the word also means “to make a smacking sound”, which is perhaps the original meaning. Probably related with English smatter, Swedish smattra, though in all languages the word is attested rather late. Compare also German schnattern.

Pronunciation
  • Audio(file)

Verb

schmettern (weak, third-person singular present schmettert, past tense schmetterte, past participle geschmettert, auxiliary haben)

  1. (transitive) to smash (throw violently)
    Wütend schmetterte er seine Tasche in die Ecke.
    He furiously smashed his bag into a corner.
  2. (transitive) to yell (something) in a resounding voice, especially in a commanding or sharp tone
    Der Feldwebel schmetterte seine Befehle über den Exerzierplatz.
    The sergeant yelled his commands over the parade ground.
    Er hatte viel zu viel getrunken und schmetterte derbe Sprüche durch den Saal.
    He had had a lot too much to drink and yelled ribald remarks through the hall.
  3. (transitive) to sing (something) loudly and cheerfully
    Sie lagen sich in den Armen und schmetterten die neuesten Karnevalsschlager.
    They were all embracing each other, belting out the most recent carnival songs.
  4. (intransitive, of such yells or songs, etc.) to resound loudly
    Die Fanfaren schmetterten durch die engen Gassen.
    The fanfares were sounding through the narrow lanes.

Conjugation

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Derived terms

Further reading
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