aanliggen

Aanliggen is a Dutch verb meaning to lie adjacent to or in contact with something, or to be located at a boundary. The term emphasizes a static position relative to another object and is often used when describing the position of objects or landforms rather than an action of moving.

In general use, aanliggen describes proximity or abutment, for example when a road or property lies beside a river or road. It is commonly used in descriptive writing, planning, and surveying to indicate spatial relations.

In nautical contexts, the term is used to indicate that a vessel lies alongside a quay or another ship, that is, positioned at a berth. It conveys a fixed position rather than active movement and is often found in ship reporting and harbor descriptions.

Etymology and notes: the word derives from aan- plus liggen, literally ‘to lie at/against.’ It is a descriptive, non-action verb and tends to appear in formal or technical contexts such as geography, surveying, and nautical communication.