An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/dengeln

by Friedrich Kluge

dengeln, vb., from the equiv. MidHG. tęngeln, ‘to sharpen by hammering, beat, hammer’; the ModHG. d points, as in the case of Deich, to a LG. influence; comp. AS. dęncgan, ‘to knock, ding,’ E. to ding. Akin to OHG. tangol, ‘hammer’; Goth. *diggwan, ‘to strike,’ indicated also by OSwed. diunga, ModSwed. dänga, is not recorded.