An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/lenken

by Friedrich Kluge

lenken, vb., ‘to guide, direct,’ from MidHG. lęnken, ‘to bend, turn, direct’; a denominative of MidHG. lanke, OHG. lanca, hlanca, ‘hip, loins.’ For further details see under Flanke and Gelenk; it is also perhaps allied to link, lit. ‘oblique’; hence lenken orig. means ‘to direct obliquely or sideways’ (comp. link). It is also thought to be connected with Lith. lènkti, ‘to bend.’