Etymology

The form and sense of this v. are best explained by loan from ON, cp. OIcel kippa 'pull, snatch' (PGmc *kipp(j)an-). The etymology of this v. is obscure, but some connection is usually made to a number of WGmc verbs,  e.g. MLG kippen 'hatch', Ger kippen 'knock over' (so Orel), and MDu kippen 'catch' (so Kroonen, OED). Kroonen also connects OE *cippian, but this is only actually attested as pp. forcippod 'cut off, cut short' (see DOE) and should give a palatalised form in ME (thus MnE chip). Dance (2003: 363n, with references) also notes that the possibility of some influence from the native-derived ME kepen (cp. MED's sense 3a, etc.) cannot be ruled out.

PGmc Ancestor

*kipp(j)an-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

kippa 'pull, snatch'
(ONP kippa (vb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far kippa, Icel kippa, Norw kippa, Dan kippe, Dan dial kippe, Sw kippa, Sw dial kippa
 

OE Cognate

cp. forcippod 'cut off, cut short', cēpan 'seize'

Phonological and morphological markers

[absence of palatalization of */k/] (may not be applicable)

Summary category

CC2a

(CC3)

Attestation

Cited in a range of texts by MED and OED from c. 1300 onwards.

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Cl 1510

Bibliography

MED kippen (v.) , OED kip (v.1) , HTOED , Bj. 143, de Vries kippa (2), Mag. kippa (2), Orel *kippjanan, Kroonen *kippōn-, DOE for-cippod, cēpan, AEW for-cippian