An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/flehen

by Friedrich Kluge

flehen, verb, ‘to implore, supplicate,’ from Middle High German vlêhen, Old High German flêhan, flêhôn, ‘to implore,’ Old High German also ‘to fondle, flatter’; initial fl for earlier þl, as in fliehen (Gothic þliuhan); compare Gothic gaþláihan (ai a genuine diphthong), ‘to fondle, embrace, console, exhort in a friendly way,’ akin to Gothic gaþláihts, feminine, ‘comfort, warning.’ Also allied to Old Icelandic flár, ‘false, cunning,’ Anglo-Saxon flâh. ‘wily, cunning,’ both pointing to Gothic *þlaiha-. The primary meaning of the root flaih was perhaps ‘importunate, insinuating speech.’