An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/würgen

by Friedrich Kluge

würgen, vb., ‘to choke, strangle, throttle,’ from the equiv. MidHG. würgen (MidG. worgen), wk. vb., OHG. wurgen (from *wurgjan). Beside this wk. vb. there existed a strong verbal root, Teut. werg (deduced from the equiv. MidHG. erwërgen), from Aryan wergh, from which Lith. verszti (verżu), ‘to lace together, press firmly,’ and OSlov. vrŭzą, ‘to chain, bind,’ are derived. The word has also been compared with the Aryan root wrengh (see ringen).