An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/heucheln

by Friedrich Kluge

heucheln, vb., ‘to feign, dissemble,’ ModHG. only, prop. a MidG. word (the corresponding UpG. word is gleißnen), allied to an early ModHG. hanchen, ‘to duck, stoop,’ from MidHG. hûchen, ‘to crouch’; comp. the further cognates under hocken. The variation of meaning ‘to stoop, dissemble,’ is exhibited in an OTeut. root lut, AS. lûtan, ‘to bend, bow,’ to which lot, ‘deceit,’ and Goth. liuta, ‘hypocrite,’ are allied.