szedegetni

Szedegetni is a Hungarian verb meaning to pick up or collect small items bit by bit, often in a piecemeal or gradually accumulating way. The primary sense is literal and concrete: gathering scattered things one by one, such as objects found on the floor, pieces of junk, or small components from a larger pile. It can also be used figuratively to describe accumulating or assembling something gradually, like information, memories, or objects of personal interest.

In addition to this neutral sense, szedegetni can carry a negative nuance when it refers to illicit or opportunistic taking of small amounts from a source over time. In such contexts the word implies a discreet, perhaps petty, form of appropriation or skimmed funds, rather than an open act of theft. The exact shade depends on tone, context, and the surrounding words.

Etymologically, szedegetni derives from the verb szed, meaning to gather, reap, or pull up, with the diminutive- or iterative suffixes that indicate repetition or small-scale action. It is a common, informal term across Hungarian-speaking regions, suitable for everyday speech but less common in formal writing. Related terms include gyűjtögetni (to accumulate, gather gradually) and szedni (to pick, reap) as a base form.

See also: szed, gyűjtöget, csipeget (to nibble or pick at).

Examples:

- A gyerekek a padlásról szedegetik elő a régieket. (The children are picking up old things from the attic, one by one.)

- Ő kiszedegette a fiók tartalmát, apránként összevissza pénzt gyűjtve belőle. (He gradually skimmed small sums of money from the drawer.)