An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/renken

by Friedrich Kluge

renken, vb., ‘to twist, wrench,’ from MidHG. ręnken, OHG. ręnchen, ‘to turn this way and that,’ for an earlier *wrankjan (from the stem rank, ‘to dislocate,’ are derived the Rom. cognates, Ital. ranco, ‘lame,’ rancare, ‘to halt’). AS. wręnč, ‘bend, artifice,’ AS. wręnčan, ‘to turn,’ E. wrench, subst. and vb. The corresponding vb. is ringen, Teut. wringan; the k of renken (probably for kk) compared with the g of ringen resembles the variation in bücken and biegen, lecken and Goth. bilaigôn, &c. With the pre-Teut. root wrenk (wreng) comp. Gr. ῥέμβω, ‘to turn,’ ῥόμβος, ‘top.’ Comp. Rank.