An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Glimpf

by Friedrich Kluge

Glimpf, m., ‘moderation, lenity,’ from MidHG. glimpf, gelimpf, m., ‘consistent, courteous demeanour generally,’ OHG. gilimpf, ‘fitness’; to these are allied OHG. gilimpflîh, MidHG. gelimpflich, ‘consistent,’ whence the ModHG. adv. glimpflich; akin to OHG. gilimpfan, MidHG. gelimpfen, ‘to be suitable’ (in MidHG. also ‘to make suitable’); comp. AS. gelimpan, ‘to occur.’ The West Teut. root limp in an appropriate sense has not been found in the non-Teut. languages.