An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/verschwenden

by Friedrich Kluge

verschwenden, vb., ‘to squander, waste,’ from MidHG. verswęnden, ‘to break to pieces, annihilate, consume,’ which as a factitive of MidHG. verswinden, ModHG. verschwinden, ‘to disappear,’ signifies lit. ‘to cause something to disappear.’