maßgeben

Maßgeben is a German verb meaning to specify or indicate the measured quantities or dimensions of something. The term is formed from Maß, meaning measure, and geben, meaning to give. It is primarily used in technical, engineering, architectural, or regulatory language to denote the act of providing exact measurements or standards required for a product, component, or process. In everyday German, more common verbs such as angeben (to state or specify) or festlegen (to determine/set) are typically used instead of maßgeben.

The usage of maßgeben is relatively limited today and may appear in older texts or formal technical documents. It can express the act of prescribing or communicating precise specifications, rather than approximate values. As a related concept, the noun Maßangabe (measurement specification) is frequently used in manuals and plans to denote the required dimensions. Another related word is Maßgabe, meaning a guideline or directive; the two terms are etymologically related but have different meanings.

In summary, maßgeben is a legitimate German verb tied to specifying measurements, but it is not common in everyday usage and is mainly encountered in specialized or historical contexts, with preferred alternatives being geben, angeben, festlegen, or bestimmen.