An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/rinnen

by Friedrich Kluge

rinnen, vb., ‘to run, flow, leak, drop, from MidHG. rinnen, OHG. rinnan, ‘to flow, swim, run.’ This vb. is common to Teut. in the same sense; Goth. rinnan, AS. irnan, E. to run, Du. runnen, OSax. rinnan; the orig. sense of all these is ‘to move on rapidly.’ The nn of Goth. rinnan is usually regarded as a part of the pres. stem for no (comp. Gr. δάκνω, Lat. sper-no), and a root ren, run, is assumed, which is preserved in AS. ryne (from *runi-).