rope
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rope
A strong, thick cord made of twisted natural or synthetic fibers or of wire, used for pulling, lifting, fastening, or climbing.
Der Bergsteiger sicherte sich mit einem Seil am Felsen.
The mountain climber secured himself to the rock with a rope.
to walk a tightrope
A fixed expression for balancing on a tightrope, often used figuratively to describe a risky or delicate situation in which one must maintain balance.
Politisch tanzt der Minister bei diesem Thema auf einem sehr dünnen Seil.
Politically, the minister is walking a very thin tightrope on this issue.
The word 'Seil' (rope) is the basis for many compound nouns that describe the type or purpose of the rope more precisely. If you see '-seil' at the end of a word, you can often infer the meaning.
Für die Bergtour braucht man ein spezielles Kletterseil.
For the mountain tour, you need a special climbing rope.
Common verbs used with 'Seil' (rope) describe actions of fastening, pulling, or moving. Typical combinations are 'ein Seil spannen' (to stretch/set up a rope), 'an einem Seil ziehen' (to pull on a rope), and 'sich mit einem Seil sichern' (to secure oneself with a rope).
Die Arbeiter zogen das schwere Paket mit einem Seil nach oben.
The workers pulled the heavy package upward with a rope.
The figurative expression 'auf dem Seil tanzen' (to walk a tightrope) is often intensified with adjectives like 'dünn' (thin) or 'schmal' (narrow) to emphasize the particular danger or difficulty of the situation.
Mit seiner Entscheidung tanzt der Politiker auf einem sehr dünnen Seil.
With his decision, the politician is walking a very thin tightrope.
cable
“Kabel” and “Seil” can both refer to a strong connection used for pulling, lifting, or bracing. “Kabel” is especially suitable for a very thick rope, often made of steel, used for heavy loads or structures. “Seil” is the more general term and can also refer to something made of fibers.
Das Seil wurde zum Abspannen des Zeltes verwendet.
The rope was used to secure the tent.
Das Stahlkabel wurde zum Abspannen der Brücke verwendet.
The steel cable was used to brace the bridge.
