An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/heischen

by Friedrich Kluge

heischen, vb., ‘to ask for, demand, require,’ from MidHG. heischen, prop. eischen, HG. eiskôn, ‘to ask’; the addition of initial h in the MidHG. and ModHG. verbs is correctly ascribed to the influence of heißen. Comp. OSax. êscôn, Du. eischen, AS. âscian, E. to ask; Goth. *aiskôn is wanting. It corresponds to Lith. jëskóti, OSlov. iskati, ‘to seek,’ also probably to Armen. aiç, ‘investigation,’ and Sans. icch (icchati), ‘to seek’ (see anheischig).