An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/drechseln

by Friedrich Kluge

drechseln, vb., ‘to turn (on a lathe),’ deriv. of MidHG. drëhsel, drœhsel, ‘turner,’ in Goth. *þrêhsils; drehen (root þré, tré) cannot be closely allied to drechseln; it must rather be connected with a root containing a guttural, þrêhs- or þrêh. Gr. τρέπομαι (with π for k), and Lat. torqueo (Gr. ἄπρακτος, ‘spindle,’ Lat. torcular, ‘oil-press’), point to a root trek, ‘to turn.’ The OHG. drâhsil, ‘turner,’ is probably the only remains of this root in Teut.; in MidHG. and also in UpG. and LG. dialects drehen (MidHG. drœjen, drœn) signifies ‘to turn (on a lathe).’ See drehen.