An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/dengeln
dengeln, verb, from the equivalent Middle High German tęngeln, ‘to sharpen by hammering, beat, hammer’; the Modern High German d points, as in the case of Deich, to a Low German influence; compare Anglo-Saxon dęncgan, ‘to knock, ding,’ English to ding. Akin to Old High German tangol, ‘hammer’; Gothic *diggwan, ‘to strike,’ indicated also by Old Swedish diunga, Modern Swedish dänga, is not recorded.