der Spieß
Translation
skewer, spit, spear, sergeant major
Examples
Wir grillen Fleisch am Spieß.
We are grilling meat on a skewer.
Der Ritter trug einen langen Spieß.
The knight carried a long spear.
Er hat den Spieß einfach umgedreht.
He simply turned the tables.
Grammar Patterns
to grill sth. ((on a skewer)) etwas ((am Spieß)) grillen We're grilling sausages on a skewer.
to turn the tables den Spieß umdrehen The losing team turned the tables at the last minute.
Similar Words
Synonyms: die Stange (rod), der Pflock (peg); die Lanze (lance)
Etymology
From Old High German 'spioz', meaning a pointed stick or weapon.
Memory Tips
Picture a shish kebab on a 'Spieß' (skewer). The sharp sound of 'sh-p-ee-ss' is like something piercing.