An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/kauern

by Friedrich Kluge

kauern, verb, ‘to crouch’; its relation to Middle High German hûren (Dutch hurken), ‘to squat,’ is obscure; in English and in Scandinavian an initial k also appears, Middle English couren, English to cower; Danish kûre, Swedish kûra, in the Modern High German sense; Old Icelandic kúra, ‘to be inactive’ Compare kauzen.