An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/lechzen

by Friedrich Kluge

lechzen, verb, ‘to be parched with thirst,’ from Middle High German lëchzen, lëchezen, properly ‘to dry,’ then ‘to be parched with thirst’ (compare Durst). It is connected with the earlier Modern High German adjective lëch, ‘leaky,’ for which the Low German form is used (compare leck), Middle High German lëchen, ‘to dry up, crack and leak through dryness’; in Gothic probably a strong verb *likan; compare Old Icelandic leka, ‘to drip, leak’; English to leak, Anglo-Saxon leccan, ‘to water.’ The Gothic stem is probably lik, by gradation lak (or rather hlak). Old Irish legaim, ‘to melt away, dissolve,’ is closely related in sound and meaning. Compare also the following word.