An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/dringen

by Friedrich Kluge

dringen, verb, ‘to press, crowd, pierce,’ from Middle High German dringen, Old High German dringan, ‘to compress, throng, press on,’ then also ‘to plait, weave’ (Middle High German drîhe, ‘embroidering needle’); compare Gothic þreihan (eih from inh), ‘to throng, oppress, cram; afflict.’ The Teutonic root is þrinhw, þrung; compare also with Old High German dringan, Old Saxon thringan, Anglo-Saxon þringan, ‘to press,’ Old Icelandic Þryngva. The h was retained by Middle High German drîhe, feminine, ‘embroidering needle,’ whence Middle High German drîhen, ‘to embroider.’ — With the general meaning ‘to press’ are connected Modern High German Drang, drängen, Gedränge (Old High German gidręngi), Gothic þraihns, ‘crowd’ (in faihuþraihns, ‘wealth’); English throng. With the Teutonic cognates Lithuanian trėnkti, ‘to shake, push,’ trànksmas, ‘din, tumult,’ Lettic treckt, ‘to shatter,’ are primitively allied.