vergattern

• IPA^(key): /fɛɐ̯ˈɡatɐn/, /fɐ-/

From Middle High German vergatern (“to assemble”), a chiefly Central German word alongside Middle Low German gāderen. Cognate to Dutch vergaderen, English forgather. In a military context the word originally meant “to line up troops and issue the orders”. It may later have been associated with Gatter (“grating, fence”), thus “to give someone a boundary that must not be transgressed”. Compare etymology 2 below.

vergattern (weak, third-person singular present vergattert, past tense vergatterte, past participle vergattert, auxiliary haben)

1. (military, transitive) to officially commit a soldier to sentry duty and to the respective regulations

   Nachdem der Soldat vergattert worden ist, muss er sich unter allen Umständen an die Wachbefehle halten.

   When a soldier has been officially committed to sentry duty, he must observe the orders to sentry under any circumstances.

2. (colloquial, transitive) to impose a duty or punishment on someone [+ zu (object)]

   Meine Mutter vergattert mich immer zum Rasenmähen.

   My mother always makes me mow the lawn.

• Vergattern
• Vergatterung

From Middle High German vergetern, derived from gater (“grating, fence”), whence modern Gatter (“idem”). The modern verb form without umlaut was derived through adaptation to the noun.

vergattern (weak, third-person singular present vergattert, past tense vergatterte, past participle vergattert, auxiliary haben)

1. (transitive) to barricade; to separate with a grating or fence