An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/triefen

by Friedrich Kluge

triefen, vb., ‘to drop, drip, trickle,’ from MidHG. triefen, OHG. triofan, str. vb., ‘to drop’; corresponding to OSax. driopan, Du. druipen, AS. dreópan, ‘to drop.’ To this are allied the cognates of Traufe, träufeln, and Tropfen. With the Teut. root drū̆p (from pre-Teut. dhrū̆b), OIr. drucht (base druptu-), ‘dew, dewdrop,’ is also probably connected.