to snatch away / to rescue
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to snatch away
To tear something out of someone's hand or possession with a quick, forceful movement.
Der Dieb versuchte, der Frau im Vorbeifahren die Handtasche zu entreißen.
The thief tried to snatch the woman's handbag away as he rode past.
to rescue
In a figurative sense: to free or save someone or something from great danger, a negative state, or a blow of fate.
Die Rettungsschwimmer konnten das Kind den Wellen gerade noch rechtzeitig entreißen.
The lifeguards were just able to rescue the child from the waves in time.
'Entreißen' (to snatch away / to rescue) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'ent-' often means 'away' or 'remove' and remains firmly attached to the verb 'reißen' (to tear) in all sentence forms.
Er entriss ihr den Brief, bevor sie ihn lesen konnte.
He snatched the letter away from her before she could read it.
This verb requires a fixed sentence structure: the person or thing from whom something is taken away is in the dative. The object that is taken away is in the accusative.
Der Polizist entriss dem Täter (Dativ) die Waffe (Akkusativ).
The police officer snatched the weapon (accusative) away from the perpetrator (dative).
In the literal meaning, 'entreißen' (to snatch away) is often combined with valuable items that one carries with oneself. Typical phrases are 'die Handtasche entreißen' (to snatch away the handbag), 'das Handy entreißen' (to snatch away the phone), or 'das Portemonnaie entreißen' (to snatch away the wallet).
Auf dem Bahnhof wurde einem Touristen der Koffer entrissen.
At the train station, a tourist had his suitcase snatched away.
You can recognize the figurative meaning 'retten' (to rescue) from the context. Here, someone is torn away from an abstract danger or fate. Typical formulations are 'jemanden dem Tod entreißen' (to rescue someone from death), 'den Flammen entreißen' (to rescue from the flames), or 'einer Gefahr entreißen' (to rescue from a danger).
Die Ärzte konnten den Patienten dem Tod entreißen.
The doctors were able to rescue the patient from death.
to save / rescue
In great danger, both verbs can describe freeing someone from danger. „Retten“ focuses on protecting someone from harm or on the success of the rescue, while „entreißen“ emphasizes forcefully pulling someone out of danger or away from a terrible fate. Use „retten“ when the rescue itself is the focus, and „entreißen“ for a dramatic intervention.
Der Bergführer entriss den Wanderer im letzten Moment dem Absturz.
At the last moment, the mountain guide snatched the hiker from the brink of a fall.
Der Bergführer rettete den Wanderer vor dem Absturz.
The mountain guide saved the hiker from falling.
