Etymology

Perhaps directly from the v., cp. OIcel leika ‘to play, perform, move, delude (etc.)’ < PGmc *laikan-; cp. OE lācan, Go láikan ‘jump’, MLG lēken, MHG leichen.

PGmc Ancestor

*laikan-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

leika ‘to play, perform, move, delude’
(ONP leika (3) (vb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far leika, Icel leika, Norw leika, Dan leke, Sw leka

OE Cognate

lācan 'to move up and down, leap, swing, play, delude'

Phonological and morphological markers

ON /ei/ &lt; PGmc */ai/

Summary category

A1*c

Attestation

In ME (Orrm onwards) primarily N and  E, and elsewhere in alliterative verse  (see further Kolb: 131-3, Thorson 35) .

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Gaw 1111, 1178, 1554 etc., Pe 210; Cl 872; WA 1770, 5480

Emerson reads a further instance at Pe 210, but this requires interpreting leke as a st. past form (see further McGee 371)

Bibliography

MED leiken (v.) , OED lake (v.1) , HTOED , EDD lake (v.1 and sb.3) Dance layke, Bj. 47, de Vries leika (2), Mag. leika (3), Bj-L. leike, Seebold laik-a, Orel *laikanan, Kroonen *laikan-, AEW lācan