heeschen

From a merger of Middle High German heizen (“to call, to command”), from Old High German heizzan, from Proto-West Germanic *haitan, and Middle High German eischen (“to demand, to call for”), from Old High German eiscōn, from Proto-West Germanic *aiskōn. The same merger (or a near-merger) also occurred in other High German dialects, which explains the h- in German heischen (alternatively already in Middle High German -). The sense “to be called a name” was originally passive and reflexive of Middle High German heizen.

Cognate with German heißen and heischen, Dutch heten and eisen, West Frisian hjitte and easkje, English hight and ask, Icelandic heita.

• IPA^(key): /ˈheːʃen/, [ˈheːʃən]
• Rhymes: -eːʃən

heeschen (third-person singular present heescht, past participle geheescht, auxiliary verb hunn)

1. (intransitive) to be called (a name)
2. (intransitive) to mean, to signify
3. (transitive or intransitive) to beg (for)