ritzen

Meaning

(weak) to scratch
(weak) to cut (self-harming behaviour)

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈʁɪt͡sən/

Etymology

From Middle High German ritzen, *rizzen (in combinations), from the fusion of Old High German rizzen (from Proto-West Germanic *rittjan (“to tear, cut”)) and Old High German rizzōn, rezzōn (“to scratch; tear; cut; incise”) (from riz (“scoring; crack; incision; impression; stroke; character, letter”)). Compare Middle Low German ritten (“to tear, rip, rupture, nick”), Middle English ritten (“to cut; tear open; slit”), whence English dialectal rit (“to scratch; rip; slit”).

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