An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/zwicken

by Friedrich Kluge

zwicken, vb., ‘to pinch, twitch, peg,’ from MidHG. zwicken, ‘to fasten with nails, squeeze in, pinch, tug,’ OHG. *zwicchên; comp. LG. twikken, AB. twiččian, MidE. twicchen, E. to twitch (see zwacken, Zweck).