An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/streng

by Friedrich Kluge

streng, adj., ‘strict, severe, stern,’ from MidHG. stręnge, adj., OHG. stręngi, ‘strong, brave, hard, unfriendly’ (to which the adv. MidHG. strange, OHG. strango, is allied); comp. OSax. strang, Du. streng, AS. and E. strong, and the equiv. OIc. strangr. Its connection with Strang (strenge, lit. ‘tense’) has been already suggested, yet comp. also Lett. stringt, ‘to grow tight, withered.’ —