An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/zehren

by Friedrich Kluge

zehren, vb., ‘to eat and drink, live, waste,’ from MidHG. zęrn, (verzęrn), ‘to consume, use up’; OHG. firzëran, str. vb., means only ‘to dissolve, destroy, tear’ (comp. Winzer). Corresponding to Goth. gataíran, ‘to destroy, annihilate,’ AS. tëran, E. to tear; allied to Du. teren, ‘to consume,’ OSax. fartęrian, ‘to annihilate,’ and also to ModHG. zerren and zergen. The Teut. str. verbal root ter, ‘to tear,’ corresponds to Gr. δέρειν, ‘to flay,’ OSlov. derą, ‘to tear,’ and the Sans. root dar, ‘to burst, fly in pieces or asunder.’