An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/streichen

by Friedrich Kluge

streichen, vb., ‘to rub,’ from MidHG. strîchen, str. vb., ‘to smooth, make strokes, draw, rub, besmear,’ OHG. strîhhan, str. vb., ‘to rub.’ To this is allied the ModHG. wk. vb. streichen, from MidHG. streichen (OHG. streihhôn), wk. vb., ‘to graze, touch, stroke,’ as well as ModHG. Streich, m., from MidHG. streich, m., ‘blow, cut, stroke,’ and ModHG. Strich, m., from MidHG. and OHG. strich, m., ‘stroke, line’ (comp. Goth. striks). The correspondences in the other Teut. dialects are Du. strijken, AS. strîcan, E. to strike (whence stroke). With the pre-Teut. root strī̆g are connected Lat. stringere, ‘to strip off, unsheath, touch, graze slightly,’ Lat. striga, ‘stroke,’ OSlov. strigą (strišti), ‘to shear, cut off.’