Ertrinken

I like to think of German as the Lego language: the basic words and prefixes combine to convey more complex meanings. The prefix er- has no meaning of its own, but it takes its base word to the limit, to its ultimate conclusion. So, folgen, to follow or to continue, but der Erfolg, success. And schiessen, to shoot, but erschiessen, to shoot dead. Geben, to give, but ergeben, to surrender. And trinken, to drink. But ertrinken–to drown!