gerissener

Gerissen is a German adjective meaning clever, shrewd, or crafty. It can describe a person who is quick-witted and skilled at navigating situations, often with a sense of practical, sometimes sly, resourcefulness. The comparative form is gerissener, used to compare two or more people or things (for example, “Er ist gerissener als sein Bruder”—“He is more cunning than his brother”). As a noun, the masculine form der Gerissene and the feminine Die Gerissene refer to a crafty person, with the plural Die Gerissenen.

Etymology and forms: Gerissen derives from the past participle of the verb reißen (to tear, to jerk) but has acquired a figurative meaning in German that describes mental agility and cunning rather than physical tearing. The figurative sense of cleverness or shrewdness appears in early modern to contemporary German usage and remains common in everyday language, literature, and journalism. The noun forms function independently as a label for a person, while the adjective remains the standard descriptor in front of nouns.

Usage and nuance: The term often carries a pragmatic, sometimes morally ambiguous connotation. It can be complimentary, as in admiring someone’s tenacity and quick thinking in business or negotiation, or critical, implying unscrupulous or manipulative tactics. The tone is largely determined by context, phrasing, and accompanying words.

Examples: “Ein gerissener Geschäftsmann” translates to “a shrewd/crafty businessman.” “Er ist gerissener geworden” means “He has become more cunning.” The noun form “Der Gerissene” labels a crafty person, while “die Gerissenen” refers to multiple such individuals.