zudrücken

Zudrücken is a German verb formed with the verb drücken (to press) and the prefix zu-. It has a literal sense, meaning to press something shut or closed by applying pressure, and a figurative sense, meaning to suppress, hush up, or overlook something. The prefix zu is separable in the present tense, so you say Ich drücke die Tür zu, and the past participle is zugedrückt (Ich habe die Tür zugedrückt).

Literal usage occurs with objects such as Türen, Fenster, Deckel, oder Schrauben, for example: Die Tür ließ sich schwer schließen; ich musste sie fest zu drücken. Common constructions involve a direct object plus zu as a separate particle: Ich drücke dir die Tür zu, damit sie nicht aufgeht. The same can apply to lids, windows, or valves.

Figurative usage includes suppressing or overlooking something. For instance, eine Opposition zudrücken means to suppress the opposition, and ein Auge zudrücken is an idiom meaning to overlook or turn a blind eye to a fault or violation: Ich habe mir das Versehen zweimal angesehen und dann doch ein Auge zugedrückt.

Usage notes: zudrücken is a separable-prefix verb, so the prefix zu typically appears separated from the stem in the present tense, but in compound tenses it remains attached as zugedrückt. The term is common in everyday language for physical closure and in political or ethical contexts for suppression or tolerance of minor offenses.