schwenken

Schwenken is a German verb meaning to swing, pivot, or tilt something. It describes a range of motions, from moving a tool or limb to rotating a device. In everyday language it can refer to quick, continuous movement or flipping of objects, and it also has specialized senses in cooking and filmmaking.

In cooking, schwenken refers to briefly tossing or turning ingredients in a hot pan with a small amount of fat or sauce, typically at high heat, to coat them and promote quick browning without deep frying. The action is meant to keep the food moving for even color and flavor development. Equipment associated with this technique includes a pan designed for rapid, constant movement (often called a Schwenkpfanne) or simply a regular frying pan used for constant turning of the ingredients.

In film and photography, schwenken denotes a camera movement known in English as a pan: the camera pivots horizontally about a fixed axis to follow action or reveal space. The noun Schwenk or Schwenkbewegung refers to this movement, which is distinct from a tilt, the vertical counterpart.

The term also appears in outdoor cooking contexts in Germany, where a rotating grill setup called a Schwenkgrill is used to roast meat or other foods on a swiveling frame, sometimes associated with the related noun Schwenker.

Examples: Der Koch schwenkte die Pfanne, um das Gemüse gleichmäßig zu bräunen. Der Kameramann schwenkte die Kamera nach rechts.