An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/geruhen

by Friedrich Kluge

geruhen, verb, ‘to deign, condescend, be pleased,’ corrupted by connection with Ruhe from the earlier Modern High German geruochen, Middle High German geruochen, Old High German geruochan, ‘to care for, take into consideration’ (Middle High German also ‘to approve, grant’). Corresponding to ASax. rôkian, Anglo-Saxon rêcan (and rĕccan, whence English to reck), Old Icelandic rœ́kja, ‘to take care of.’ The Teutonic root. rak, rôk, appears also in Old High German rahha, ‘account, speech;’ so too in rechnen. In the non-Teutonic languages no root rā̆g in a cognate sense has yet been found.