Etymology: Either < Middle Low German pranc (inflected prang-) distress, anguish, or its unattested Middle Dutch cognate (compare Dutch prang (also †prange , †pranghe ) coercion, confinement (1599), distress, anguish, (physical or mental) torture (early 17th cent.)), cognate with Middle High German phrange confinement, restriction, coercion, hardship < the same Germanic base as Middle Dutch prangen to press, oppress, to wrestle, to fight (see prangle v.); or < the reflex of an unattested Old English cognate < the same Germanic base. Compare later prong n.² and the Germanic nouns cited at that entry. Perhaps compare also pang n.¹

Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps the same word as prong n.¹ Compare Middle Dutch pranghe kind of pinching instrument (Dutch †prange , †pranghe , prang instrument for restraining horses, barnacle (1573), neck iron, iron fetter (1599)), Middle Low German prange stake, pole, (perhaps) kind of pillory or stocks, Old Swedish prang narrow stall for restraining horses (Swedish prång narrow passage, alley) < the same Germanic base as Middle Dutch prangen to press, oppress (see prangle v.). Compare also sprong n.An alternative etymology connects the word with earlier prag n.¹ and later prog n.¹, but this seems unlikely. Earlier currency of the word is implied by post-classical Latin pronga, pranga, branga pointed tool, prong (from 13th cent. in British sources). The suggestion seems unlikely that the Old English byname Preng represents an i-mutated variant from the same Germanic base (perhaps used as an epithet for a tall thin person), thence giving rise to the surname Pring, Prink (compare Æðelgeard Preng (a958), Simon Pring (1203), Jocelinus Prinketail (1210), Willelmus Prinke (1252), Walter Prink' (1327)).

Etymology: Origin uncertain. Perhaps a variant of prank n.²

Etymology: < prong n.²