umschließen

Umschließen is a German verb meaning to surround on all sides, to enclose, or to encircle. It emphasizes a complete boundary or enclosure of an area, object, or space. The prefix um- combined with schließen conveys the sense of closing around something so that it is contained or protected within limits. In usage, umschließen often describes physical boundaries such as walls, fences, or natural formations, but it can also be used metaphorically to indicate comprehensive inclusion or containment.

In grammatical terms, umschließen is used with objects that are enclosed by something else. A common passive construction is to highlight the enclosure, for example: Der Hof ist von einer hohen Mauer umschlossen. This form stresses that the space is enclosed by a surrounding barrier. The past participle is umschlossen, as in Der See war von Felsen umschlossen. For more explicit statements, one can say Der Garten ist von einer Mauer umschlossen worden. The verb is related to nearby terms such as einschließen (to enclose inside, to include) and umgeben (to surround more generally); umschließen conveys a sense of complete encirclement or sealing.

Examples:

- Der Park ist von einer Mauer umschlossen, die ihn sicher abschirmt.

- Die Stadt war von einer Ringmauer umschlossen.

See also: einschließen, umgeben, Umschließung.

Notes: While similar to other surround-related verbs, umschließen specifically emphasizes full enclosure rather than mere proximity or approximate surroundings.

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