An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/hocken

by Friedrich Kluge

hocken, vb., ‘to crouch, squat,’ first recorded in ModHG.; it is, however, an archaic word, as is shown by the prevalence of the root hū̆k, hukk; comp. MidHG. hûchen, ‘to duck, crouch,’ OIc. húka (with a str. partic. hokenn), ‘to crouch,’ Du. huiken. OIc. hokra, ‘to crawl,’ is probably not connected with this word, but with hinken.