An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/dreschen
dreschen, vb., ‘to thresh,’ from the equiv. MidHG. drëschen, OHG. drëskan; corresponds to Du. dorschen, AS. þërscan (for þrescan), E. to thrash, thresh (comp. MidHG. dreschen, which also means ‘to torment’); Goth. þriskan. Threshing was practised in primit. Teut. times, as this common term testifies. The Teutons, even before they became settlers, and hence while they were still migrating, were acquainted with the most elementary methods of agriculture; comp. the various kinds of corn, and also Pflug, Egge, Brot, &c. The Teut. cognates found their way into Rom. , — Ital. trescare, ‘to trample, move the feet about, dance,’ OFr. tresche, ‘chain-dance’ From these the OTeut. method of threshing may be easily inferred. The flail (Dreschflegel) came from Italy through the medium of Rom. (see Flegel); for this a simpler term is found in OHG. driscil, MidHG. and ModHG. drischel. The meaning of the Teut. base tresk is probably ‘to stamp noisily, tread’; comp. Lith. trasketi, ‘to rattle, clatter,’ OSlov. trěskŭ, ‘crack,’ troska, ‘thunderclap.’ E. threshold is mostly connected with dreschen, OTeut. þrëskan, regarding it as the threshing-staff, or as the place at the entrance to the house where corn was threshed.