ab|tauchen
Translation
to dive down, to submerge, to go into hiding, to disappear
Examples
Der Taucher ist schnell abgetaucht.
The diver dove down quickly.
Er ist für ein paar Wochen abgetaucht.
He went into hiding for a few weeks.
Grammar Patterns
(intransitive) to dive down The penguin dives down.
(intransitive, figurative) to go into hiding The witness has gone into hiding.
Similar Words
Synonyms: untertauchen (to submerge), verschwinden (to disappear); Antonyms: auftauchen (to surface)
Etymology
Composed of 'ab-' (down, away) and 'tauchen' (to dive). It literally means 'to dive down' or 'to dive away'.
Memory Tips
Imagine a submarine 'diving' (tauchen) 'down' (ab) to vanish from sight. This applies to both the literal meaning and the figurative 'go into hiding'.