An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/bägern

by Friedrich Kluge

bägern, ‘to torment, plague,’ probably allied to Old High German bâgan, Middle High German bâgen, strong verb, ‘to contend, quarrel.’ Akin to Irish bágim, ‘I contend,’ bág, ‘combat’; hence the Aryan root is bhêgh, bhôgh.