An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/zwingen

by Friedrich Kluge

zwingen, verb, ‘to force, compel, vanquish,’ from Middle High German twingen, dwingen, ‘to press, cramp, force, compel, dominate,’ Old High German dwingan, thwingan, ‘to crowd, suppress, conquer,’ corresponding to Old Saxon thwingan, Old Icelandic þwinga, Danish tvinge, Dutch twingen, Old Frisian dwinga, twinga, Middle English twingen, ‘to force’ (English twinge), see also Zwang. — Derivatives Zwing, Twink, masculine, ‘fortress,’ from Middle High German twine, masculine, ‘that which constrains, confines; jurisdiction.’ —