Verwinden

Verwinden is a Dutch verb that denotes the action of winding or twisting something around another object, or of winding a strand so that it becomes intertwined. In contemporary standard Dutch, verwinden is rare and largely confined to literary or historical usage. For ordinary action of winding, speakers typically use winden with a direct object, or other more specific verbs depending on the nuance (for example, twisting, twisting around, or coiling).

Etymology and range of meaning: Verwinden is formed from the prefix ver- attached to the stem winden (to wind). It belongs to the same Germanic language family as Dutch winden and German verwinden. The word reflects older or more formal stages of Dutch and is not part of everyday modern vocabulary.

Usage and register: Because verwinden is infrequent, it appears mainly in older texts, poetry, or dialectal varieties. In modern writing, it is common to replace verwinden with winden or with more specific verbs that convey the intended nuance, such as draaien (to turn) or verstrengelen (to entwine) in figurative contexts. The term should not be confused with verwonden, which means to wound or injure, despite their similar appearance.

See also: winden; verwonden; verstrengelen.