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pfänden

seize

verb PFEN-den Rare

Also means

garnish (wages)

Usage Note

pfänden is a legal-financial term for seizing assets or garnishing wages by court order to settle a debt. A Gerichtsvollzieher (bailiff) can Konten pfänden (freeze accounts) at a creditor's request.

Examples

"Das Gericht hat sein Konto gepfändet."

Natural Translation

The court has seized his account.

Literal Translation

The court has his account seized.

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