An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/schmeißen

by Friedrich Kluge

schmeißen, vb., ‘to smite, fling, kick (of horses),’ from MidHG. smîȥen, ‘to rub, strike’; the latter meanings are the earlier, as is shown by Goth. smeitan (only in gasmeitan and bi-smeitan), ‘to spread over, besmear’; comp. AS. smîtan, E. to smite. The meaning of ModHG. schmeißen, compared with that of OHG. and MidHG., is due to LG. and Du. influence; comp. Du. smijten, ‘to sling, throw.’ Yet it is to be observed that the OHG. and MidHG. vbs. are compounded usually with bi, or rather be (as in Goth. and AS.), hence the OTeut. root smī̆t probably signifies ‘to throw at.’ The corresponding ModHG. vb. schmeißen, ‘cacare’ (MidHG. smeizen, ‘cacare’), is a factitive of smîȥen. See schmißen.