Gelockerte

Gelockerte is a form of the German verb lockern, meaning to loosen or relax. It is typically encountered as the simple past tense (Präteritum) form for third-person singular, as in er gelockerte, meaning “he loosened.” When used as a descriptive adjective, gelockerte can precede a feminine or other noun in attributive position, describing something that has been loosened, for example eine gelockerte Verbindung (a loosened connection) or eine gelockerte Schraube (a loosened screw). The standard past participle used with perfect tenses is gelockert.

Usage notes:

- Finite form: In narrative or reported action, one may write Der Mechaniker gelockerte die Schrauben. (“The mechanic loosened the screws.”)

- Attributive adjective: Gelockerte Verbindung describes the state of the part, often in technical or descriptive text. The form agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case as German adjectives do.

- Distinction from gelockert: The participle gelockert is the past participle used with haben/sein to form perfect tenses (er hat gelockert), whereas gelockerte is the preterite form or an adjective form, not the standard participle for perfect tense.

Contexts:

- Mechanical engineering and maintenance: describing loosened components, such as screws, bolts, or joints.

- Materials and structural descriptions: indicating a state of reduced tightness or stability.

- General language: as a straightforward past-tense descriptor or as an adjectival modifier in technical writing.

See also:

- lockern, the verb from which gelockerte derives

- gelockert, the common past participle used in perfect tenses

- German adjective declension related to attributions in attributive position