An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Ahle
Ahle, f., from the equiv. MidHG. âle, OHG. âla, f., ‘cobbler’s awl.’ To this is allied the equiv. OHG. deriv. ălunsa, ălansa, f., (with the same suffix as Sense); prop. alesna (Swiss alesne, alsne), whence the Rom. cognates — Span. alesna, Ital. lesina, Fr. alêne, ‘awl,’ are borrowed; comp. Du. els, ‘awl’ (from *alisna), AS. œ̂l (in the Orkneys alison), OIc. alr, ‘awl.’ The consonance with Sans. ãrâ, f., ‘punch, awl,’ points to an OAryan word; there existed also a widely ramified Aryan root to designate articles of leather. See Saum and Säule.