stauen
Translation
to dam, to jam, to build up, to accumulate
Examples
Der Verkehr staut sich auf der Autobahn.
The traffic is jamming on the highway.
Die Arbeit staut sich auf meinem Schreibtisch.
The work is piling up on my desk.
Ein Damm staut den Fluss.
A dam blocks the river.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to dam sth. The beaver dams the water.
((sich4)) to jam, to pile up The traffic jams every morning.
Similar Words
Synonyms: to block (blockieren), to dam up (anstauen); Antonyms: to flow (fließen)
Etymology
Related to `stehen` (to stand). The core idea is making something (like water or traffic) stand still.
Memory Tips
Think of a "Stau" (traffic jam), where cars have to "stand" still. "stauen" is the verb for causing this stoppage.