An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/kehren

by Friedrich Kluge

kehren (1.), vb., ‘to turn,’ from MidHG. kêren, OHG. chêrren, ‘to turn, direct’; a difficult word to explain both etymologically and phonetically; in AS. čěrran, čy̆rran (pret. čy̆rde), ‘to turn.’ kehren (2.), vb., ‘to sweep,’ from the equiv. MidHG. kęrn, kęren, kęrjen, OHG. chęrian, chęren; the Goth. form is probably *karjan, not *kazjan; also OHG. ubarchara, ‘offscouring, impurity,’ connected with Ic. kar, n., ‘dirt (on new-born lambs and calves).’ Probably primit. allied to Lith. żeriu, żèrti, ‘to scrape.’