Udtømt

Udtømt is a Danish adjective and the past participle of the verb udtømme, meaning to empty out or to exhaust. It is used to describe something that has been drained of its contents or resources, or a person who is exhausted.

Etymology and form: Udtømme is composed of the prefix ud- (out, away) and tæmme? No, tømme (to drain, to empty). The word udtømt is the neuter and common past participle form, used predicatively or attributively. In plural or masculine/feminine variants, the participle can appear as udtømte when describing plural nouns (udtømte ressourcer) and as udtømt in singular, e.g., kontoen er udtømt.

Usage and contexts: The term is versatile in Danish. It can refer to a container that has had its contents removed, as in glasset er udtømt (the glass is emptied). It also describes depletion of resources, funds, or supplies, for example udtømte ressourcer or kontoen er udtømt. In a figurative sense, it can describe a person who is physically or mentally exhausted, as in jeg er helt udtømt efter dagens arbejde. The nuance often implies a process of depletion leading to being empty or spent.

Related terms and distinctions: Udtømt is closely related to tømt, which also means emptied but may carry a more immediate or completed sense. Udtømme is the verb form, with udtømt as the corresponding participle adjective. In contexts of environmental science or economics, depletion is frequently described using udtømte ressourcer or udtømte lagre.

See also: tømt, udtømning, ressourcer, midler.