An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/drechseln

by Friedrich Kluge

drechseln, verb, ‘to turn (on a lathe),’ derivative of Middle High German drëhsel, drœhsel, ‘turner,’ in Gothic *þrêhsils; drehen (root þré, tré) cannot be closely allied to drechseln; it must rather be connected with a root containing a guttural, þrêhs- or þrêh. Greek τρέπομαι (with π for k), and Latin torqueo (Greek ἄπρακτος, ‘spindle,’ Latin torcular, ‘oil-press’), point to a root trek, ‘to turn.’ The Old High German drâhsil, ‘turner,’ is probably the only remains of this root in Teutonic; in Middle High German and also in Upper German and Low German dialects drehen (Middle High German drœjen, drœn) signifies ‘to turn (on a lathe).’ See drehen.