An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/darben
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darben, vb., ‘to suffix want, famish,’ from MidHG. darben, OHG. darbên, ‘to dispense with, be deficient’; corresponds to Goth. gaþarban, ‘to abstain from’; AS. þearfan, ‘to be in need of.’ The verb is derived from the same root (þerf) as dürfen which see; its primary meaning is ‘to be in need of.’