die Anspielung
Translation
allusion, hint, innuendo, insinuation
Examples
Er machte eine Anspielung auf ihre Vergangenheit.
He made an allusion to her past.
Ich habe seine Anspielung nicht verstanden.
I didn't understand his hint.
Grammar Patterns
to make an allusion ((to sth.)) to make an allusion to sth. He made an allusion to the incident.
Similar Words
die Andeutung (hint), der Hinweis (clue), die Insinuation (insinuation)
Etymology
Derived from anspielen (to allude to). It combines an- (at, towards) + spielen (to play) + -ung (noun suffix). The idea is 'playing towards' a subject.
Memory Tips
Imagine 'playing' (spielen) around a topic to get 'at' (an) its meaning indirectly.