Ver-an-lassen is Heidegger’s writing of the verb veranlassen in noun form, now hyphenated to bring out its meaning. Veranlassen ordinarily means to occasion, to cause, to bring about, to call forth. Its use here relates back to the use of anlassen (to leave [something] on, to let loose, to set going), here translated “to start something on its way.” Anlassen has just been similarly written as an-lassen so as to emphasize its composition from lassen (to let or leave) and an (to or toward). One of the functions of the German prefix ver- is to intensify the force of a verb. Andre Préau quotes Heidegger as saying: “Ver-an-lassen is more active than an-lassen. The ver-, as it were, pushes the latter toward a doing [vers un faire].” Cf. Martin Heidegger, Essais et Conferences (Paris: Gallimard, 1958), p. 16 n. (QCT p. 9)