Neigen

Neigen is a verb used in German and Dutch with several related senses centered on movement toward a lower or inclined position, or, more abstractly, toward a tendency or predisposition. In both languages the core idea is a deviation from verticality or a leaning toward a direction, position, or attitude.

In physical and geometric contexts, neigen refers to tilting or inclining a body or surface. German usage includes sentences like a roof or a structure that tilts, and technical terms such as Neigung, which denotes slope or pitch. The related noun Neigung is commonly used for angles of incline (for example, Neigungswinkel) as well as for a slope in landscapes or construction.

In figurative usage, neigen expresses a tendency or predisposition. German speakers use sich zu etwas neigen or neigen dazu to describe leaning toward a particular outcome, impression, or behavior, as in Ich neige dazu, zu spät zu kommen. Dutch similarly employs neigen to indicate inclination or propensity, with the adjective geneigd signaling a biased or inclined stance (for example, geneigd tot vertrouwen).

The noun forms Neigung (German) and neiging (Dutch) cover both physical sloping and abstract inclinations, and they appear across science, engineering, psychology, and everyday language. The terms are closely related to related words such as Inclination, bias, or slope, and they often appear in technical phrases (for example, a vehicle’s tilt, roof inclination, or a person’s artistic Neigung).

Overall, neigen functions as a versatile term describing both actual tilting and a mental or behavioral propensity, with parallel forms and meanings in German and Dutch that reflect the shared Germanic linguistic heritage.