abwerfen
to yield
To produce a profit, return, or result.
EXAMPLE
Die Solaranlage auf dem Dach wirft genug Strom für die ganze Familie ab.
The solar system on the roof yields enough electricity for the whole family.
abwerfen
to yield / to drop / to shed
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Meanings
abwerfen
to drop
To deliberately let something fall from a height, especially from an airplane.
EXAMPLE
Das Flugzeug hat Hilfspakete über dem Katastrophengebiet abgeworfen.
The airplane dropped aid packages over the disaster area.
abwerfen
to shed
To lose body parts or growth such as leaves, antlers, or skin as part of a natural cycle.
EXAMPLE
Im Herbst werfen die Laubbäume ihre Blätter ab.
In autumn, deciduous trees shed their leaves.
abwerfen
to throw off
To throw a rider off the back of a riding animal, usually a horse, through a sudden, violent movement.
EXAMPLE
Das junge Pferd wurde unruhig und hat seine Reiterin abgeworfen.
The young horse became restless and threw off its rider.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Abwerfen' (to yield / to drop / to shed) is a separable verb. The prefix 'ab-' often means 'downward' or 'away from oneself' here and comes at the end in a main clause.
EXAMPLE
Im Herbst werfen die Bäume ihre Blätter ab.
In autumn, the trees shed their leaves.
Context clue
The subject of the sentence is a strong clue to the meaning: an investment yields profit, a tree sheds leaves, an airplane drops packages, and a horse throws off a rider.
EXAMPLE
Die neue Geschäftsidee warf schnell einen hohen Gewinn ab.
The new business idea quickly yielded a high profit.
Typical collocations
In a financial or economic context, 'abwerfen' is often combined with words such as 'Gewinn' (profit), 'Profit' (profit), 'Ertrag' (return), or 'Zinsen' (interest).
EXAMPLE
Seine Aktien warfen dieses Jahr eine gute Rendite ab.
His stocks yielded a good return this year.
Typical collocations
When something is dropped from the air, the objects are often 'Bomben' (bombs), 'Hilfsgüter' (relief supplies), 'Flugblätter' (leaflets), or 'Ballast' (ballast).
EXAMPLE
Über dem Krisengebiet warfen die Helikopter Lebensmittel ab.
The helicopters dropped food over the crisis area.
Biological context
In nature, trees shed 'Laub' (foliage) or 'Blätter' (leaves), deer shed their 'Geweih' (antlers), and snakes shed their 'Haut' (skin). It describes a natural process of losing something.
EXAMPLE
Die Schlange hat gerade ihre alte Haut abgeworfen.
The snake has just shed its old skin.
Compare with
abwerfen vs verlieren
to lose
Verlieren generally describes an animal no longer having a body part or growth, and it can also be used after an accident. Abwerfen, on the other hand, describes a natural process that occurs regularly. That is why abwerfen is more appropriate when a deer sheds its antlers.
abwerfen
Der Hirsch wirft im Frühjahr sein Geweih ab.
The deer sheds its antlers in the spring.
verlieren
Der Hirsch verlor bei einem Unfall eine Geweihstange.
The deer lost an antler tine in an accident.
In real life
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