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An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/werben

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An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, W (1891)
by Friedrich Kluge, translated by John Francis Davis
werben
Friedrich Kluge2508529An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, W — werben1891John Francis Davis

werben, vb., ‘to sue (for), solicit,’ from MidHG. wërben (wërven), OHG. wërban, wërvan (earlier hwërfan), str. vb., ‘to turn, walk to and fro, strive hard, make an effort, be active, be doing something, accomplish something.’ For the evolution of meaning of ModHG. werben, comp. Lat. ambire. The lit. sense of the Teut. root hwërf is ‘to move to and fro,’ as is shown by Wirbel. Comp. OSax. hwërƀan, ‘to walk to and fro,’ Du. werven, ‘to woo,’ Goth. hwaírban (and hwarbôn), ‘to wander.’ A corresponding Aryan root qerp (kerp) is not found in non-Teut. Comp. Werft (2).