Where does “highen” come from?

highen (Middle English) comes from Old English hīgian, from Proto-Germanic hīgōną, from Proto-Indo-European ḱēygʰ- — swift, fierce, violent.

Ancestry of “highen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhīgianto strive, hasten; to hie, hasten, strive
2Proto-Germanichīgōnąto breathe; snort; pant; wheeze
3Proto-Indo-Europeanḱēygʰ-swift, fierce, violent
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱēygʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hīgōną →Every word from Old English hīgian →