# neigen
## Dutch
### Etymology

From Middle Dutch neigen, from Old Dutch neigen, from Proto-West Germanic *hnaigijan, from Proto-Germanic *hnaigijaną, the causative of nijgen.
The weak verb adopted most intransitive uses from strong nijgen in modern Dutch, the latter being restricted to “bowing as a sign of respect”. Compare however genegen (“inclined to”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈnɛi̯ɣə(n)/
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -ɛi̯ɣən
* Homophone: nijgen

### Verb

neigen
* to bend over, lean (towards)
* to tend, incline

#### Derived terms

* neiging
* geneigd zijn

## German
### Etymology

From a merger of Middle High German nīgen (intransitive, strong) and neigen (transitive, weak), from Old High German nīgan and neigen, from Proto-Germanic *hnīganą and its causative *hnaigijaną.
Cognate with Dutch nijgen and neigen, Old English hnīgan and Old English hnǣgan, Old Norse hnīga and hneiga. Strong forms have been absent from the standard language since the 16th century, but survive in some dialects.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈnaɪ̯ɡən/, [ˈnaɪ̯.ɡŋ̍], [-ɡən]
* Audio (Germany):(file)
* Audio (Austria):(file)

### Verb

neigen (weak, third-person singular present neigt, past tense neigte, past participle geneigt, auxiliary haben)
* (transitive) to incline, slant, tilt, bend, lower (move something in some direction by bowing or turning slightly)
    Die Sträucher neigen ihre Zweige.The shrubs are lowering their twigs.
* (reflexive or intransitive) to incline, slant, lean, bow (intransitive use always requires an adverb of place)
    Die Wand neigt sich.The wall is slanting.
    Die Wand neigt (sich) zur Seite. (Here reflexive use may imply the inclination is increasing.)The wall is slanting to the side.
* (intransitive) to be inclined, to tend towards, to have a preference for [with zu ‘something’]
    Ich neige zu dieser Lösung.I am inclined to this solution.

#### Conjugation

$^1$Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.

#### Derived terms

* entgegenneigen
* herabneigen
* hinabneigen
* hineinneigen
* hinüberneigen
* Neigung
* verneigen
* vorneigen
* vornüberneigen
* zuneigen
* zurückneigen

### Further reading

* “neigen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
* “neigen” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
* “neigen” in Duden online
* “neigen” in OpenThesaurus.de

## Middle Dutch
### Etymology

From Old Dutch neigen

### Verb

neigen
* to (cause to) bend down
* to lay down, to rest (the head)
* to incline

#### Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

#### Alternative forms

* nêgen

#### Descendants

* Dutch: neigen
* Limburgish: neige, nèège

### Further reading

* “neighen”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
* Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “neigen (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I

## Middle High German
### Etymology

Inherited from Old High German neigen, from Proto-West Germanic *hnaigijan.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: (before 13th CE) /ˈnɛi̯ɡən/

### Verb

neigen (class 2 weak, third-person singular present neiget, past tense neigete, past participle geneiget, auxiliary hān)
* (transitive) to bow, to bend

#### Descendants

* German: neigen

## Old Dutch
### Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *hnaigijan.

### Verb

neigen
* to cause to bend down
* to incline

#### Descendants

* Middle Dutch: neigen
** Dutch: neigen
** Limburgish: neige, nèège

#### Further reading

* “nēgen”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

## Old High German
### Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *hnaigijan, from Proto-Germanic *hnaigijaną.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈnei̯ɡen]

### Verb

neigen
* (transitive) to bow, to bend

#### Descendants

* Middle High German: neigen
** German: neigen