An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/rappeln

by Friedrich Kluge

rappeln, verb, ‘to rattle,’ Modern High German only, from Low German; the correct Middle High German form is raffeln, ‘to bluster, clatter’; allied to English to rap, Middle English rappien. — In the sense of ‘to be crack-brained, rave,’ rappeln may be derived from the meaning ‘to bustle’; it is usually connected, however, with Middle High German (Middle German) rëben, ‘to dream, be confused,’ which is derived from French rêver, whence also English to rave.