fassen

From Middle High German vazzen, from Old High German fazzōn, from Proto-Germanic *fatōną (“to fetch, hold”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈfasn̩/, /ˈfasən/
• Hyphenation: fas‧sen

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fassen (third-person singular simple present fasst or (nonstandard) fässt, past tense fasste, past participle gefasst, auxiliary haben)

1. to gird, to surround, to confine into a form
   • 1981, Rezzori, Gregor von, Der arbeitslose König. Maghrebinische Märchen, Gütersloh: C. Bertelsmann, page 98:

     Einer von ihnen hat diese Quelle fassen und in den Brunnen leiten lassen, damit das brave ackerbebauende Volk daran seinen Durst stillen und sein Vieh tränken könne.

     (please add an English translation of this quote)

2. to grasp, to catch

   Synonyms: greifen, packen

3. to seize, to capture

   Synonym: ergreifen

4. (reflexive) to compose oneself (to calm, to free from agitation)

   Synonym: beruhigen

• In the 2nd and 3rd person singular present, the standard form is fasst. An alternative umlauted form, fässt, is used colloquially in parts of northern Germany due to hypercorrection.

• fassen in Duden online