An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Dohne

by Friedrich Kluge

Dohne, feminine, ‘gin, noose, springe,’ from Middle High German don, done, feminine, ‘stretching,’ Old High German dona, ‘branch twig.’ Dohne is the ‘branch bent or stretched for catching birds.’ The Aryan root ten, ‘to stretch, extend,’ is discussed under dehnen, dünn. Old Bulgarian tonoto, ‘cord, noose,’ Latin tenus, n, ‘cord,’ Sanscrit tantu-s, tantrî, ‘wire, cord, Greek τένων, ‘sinew,’ are closely allied in meaning to Dohne. So too Old High German donên (Gothic *þunan), ‘to exert oneself.’