An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/kriegen

by Friedrich Kluge

kriegen, vb., ‘to get,’ from MidHG. kriegen (in MidG. krîgen is str., so too the corresponding vb. in LG. and Du.), ‘to exert oneself, strive, aim at, oppose, struggle,’ then also ‘to defend, maintain an opinion,’ MidG. also ‘to obtain, receive’; the latter meaning is LG. and Du. (krijgen, ‘to obtain, receive’). With regard to the numerous meanings comp. OHG. winnan, ‘to exert oneself, struggle,’ giwinnan, ‘to win.’ Hence the various senses of the vb. are the outcome of a prim. meaning ‘to make an effort against,’ just as in the case of the noun Krieg, on which it is based.