An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/keifen
keifen, verb, ‘to scold,’ with the Low German form for the strictly High German keiben, Middle High German kîben, ‘to upbraid, quarrel,’ with the equivalent frequentative kibeln, kiveln; Middle High German kîp, kîbes, masculine, ‘wrangling manner, defiance, refractoriness.’ Middle Low German kîven, Dutch kijven, ‘to upbraid,’ Scandinavian kífa, ‘to quarrel,’ kíf, ‘quarrel.’