An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/recken

by Friedrich Kluge

recken, vb., ‘to stretch, rack, reach forth,’ from MidHG. ręcken, OHG. ręcchen, ‘to stretch out, extend,’ corresponding to Du. rekken, ‘to stretch out,’ whence E. to rack is borrowed, Goth. uf-rakjan, ‘to stretch out,’ to which Goth. rahtôn, ‘to proffer.’ From Teut. is derived Ital. recare, ‘to bring.’ The assumed direct connection between the common Teut. vb. and Goth. rikan, ‘to collect,’ lit. ‘to scrape together,’ must on account of the meaning be abandoned in favour of its relation to Lith. rążau, rążyti, ‘to stretch,’ Lat. por-rigo, ‘I stretch,’ and Gr. ὀρέγειν, ‘to stretch.’