opjagen

Opjagen is a Dutch verb meaning to incite, stir up, or spur on a person or crowd to action. It is used in political, media, and everyday contexts to describe provoking a reaction, sometimes deliberately, sometimes as a consequence of rhetoric or coverage.

Etymology and grammar: The word is formed from ja­gen, to hunt, with the prefix op-, and it is a separable prefix verb. In simple tenses the prefix can split off (hij jaagt het publiek op). In compound tenses the participle is opgejaagd, used with a helping verb (de meningen zijn opgejaagd / hij heeft het publiek opgejaagd).

Usage and nuance: Opjagen often carries a negative connotation when describing attempts to inflame anger or hostility. It can also be neutral or context-dependent when referring to mobilizing people for a cause or action. In journalism and political commentary, the term is common for criticizing rhetoric that aims to provoke a response.

Other uses: There is no widely recognized English-language entry for opjagen as a standalone concept beyond its Dutch verb sense. Occasional rare uses may appear as part of surnames or local place names in Dutch- or Flemish-speaking regions, but such uses are uncommon and not widely documented.

In translation, opjagen is typically rendered as to incite, to provoke, or to spur on, depending on context.