Where does “Zwangslage” come from?

Zwangslage (German) comes from German Zwang, from Middle High German twanc, from Old High German geduang, from Proto-West Germanic þwangi, from Proto-Germanic þwangiz, from Proto-Indo-European twenk- — to press, squeeze; to squeeze, press, pressure.

Zwangslage (German): predicament

Definitions

  1. predicament

Ancestry of “Zwangslage”, step by step

Zwangslage traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Zwang

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanZwangcompulsion, obligation
2Middle High Germantwanc—
3Old High Germangeduang—
4Proto-West Germanicþwangibelt, strap, thong
5Proto-Germanicþwangizbelt, strap, thong; clamp
6Proto-Indo-Europeantwenk-to press, squeeze; to squeeze, press, pressure

via German läge

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanlägefirst/third-person singular subjunctive II of...
2Middle High Germanlāge—
3Old High Germanlāga—
4Proto-West Germanicliggjanto lie, to rest
5Proto-Germanicligjanąto lie, to rest
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlegʰ-to lie
Every word from Proto-Indo-European twenk- →