ausschütteln

Ausschütteln is a German verb that literally means “to shake out” or “to shake off.” It is commonly used in everyday speech to describe physically shaking something in order to remove loose material, such as shaking a bag of grain or a basket of fruit. In this sense, the word can be combined with a direct object: „Er hat den Korb ausgeschüttelt, um die Tauben zu vertreiben.“ – “He shook the basket to get rid of the pigeons.”

In figurative usage, ausschütteln can also refer to the dispersal of information, emotions, or resources. Political or organizational contexts occasionally employ the term to describe the distribution of funds or benefits: „Die Gemeinde hat die Fördermittel ausgeschüttet, um die Infrastrukturprojekte zu finanzieren.“ – “The municipality disbursed the grant funds to finance the infrastructure projects.” Though this meaning overlaps with the noun “Ausschüttung,” the verb highlights the act of allocating or dispensing.

The verb differs from alternatives such as „abwürgen“ (to rattle) and „auswerfen“ (to throw out). While all convey a sense of elimination, ausschütteln emphasizes a gentle, rhythmic motion that causes items to fall or spread. In sports, athletes might use the expression to explain the action of shaking a parachute before deployment or of shivering in response to a blow. In medical contexts the phrase can describe the unintentional “shake” of a patient’s body as an involuntary reaction to pain.

Overall, ausschütteln is a versatile verb that can denote both a literal shaking action and a metaphorical release or distribution of something, ranging from foodstuffs to financial resources.