An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/bescheiden
bescheiden, vb., ‘to distribute, assign, summon,’ from MidHG. bescheiden, OHG. bisceidan, ‘to divide, decide, relate, report.’ The ModHG. and MidHG. partic. bescheiden, meant orig. ‘definite,’ then ‘clear, distinct, intelligible, prudent.’ See scheiden.