An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Dohne

by Friedrich Kluge

Dohne, f., ‘gin, noose, springe,’ from MidHG. don, done, f., ‘stretching,’ OHG. dona, ‘branch twig.’ Dohne is the ‘branch bent or stretched for catching birds.’ The Aryan root ten, ‘to stretch, extend,’ is discussed under dehnen, dünn. OBulg. tonoto, ‘cord, noose,’ Lat. tenus, n, ‘cord,’ Sans. tantu-s, tantrî, ‘wire, cord, Gr. τένων, ‘sinew,’ are closely allied in meaning to Dohne. So too OHG. donên (Goth. *þunan), ‘to exert oneself.’