Whisk
late Middle English: of Scandinavian origin.
wiktionary
Middle English[Term?], from Old Norse visk [1] [2], from Proto-Germanic *wiskaz, *wiskō(“bundle of hay, wisp”), from Proto-Indo-European *weys-.
Cognate with Danish visk, Dutch wis, German Wisch, Latin virga(“rod, switch”), viscus(“entrails”), Lithuanian vizgéti(“to tremble”), Czech vechet(“wisp of straw”), Sanskrit वेष्क(veṣka, “noose”). Compare also Old English wiscian(“to plait”), granwisc(“awn”).
So called from the rapid action of sweeping the cards off the table after a trick has been won.
etymonline
whisk (n.)
late 14c., "quick stroke, sweeping movement," probably from Old Norse visk "wisp of hay, something to sweep with," from Proto-Germanic *wisk- "move quickly" (source also of Danish visk "broom," Middle Dutch wisch, Dutch wis, Old High German wisc, German wisch "wisp, brush"), from PIE root *weis- "to turn, twist" (source also of Sanskrit veskah "noose," Czech vechet "a wisp of straw," Old English wiscian "to plait," weoxian "to clean" with a whisk or brush). Unetymological spelling with wh- is from 1570s. Meaning "implement for beating eggs, etc." first recorded 1660s.
whisk (v.)
late 15c., "move with a rapid sweeping motion" (intransitive), from a Scandinavian source (compare Danish viske "to wipe, rub, sponge," Norwegian, Swedish viska "wipe," also "wag the tail"), from the source of whisk (n.). Transitive sense is from 1510s; meaning "to brush or sweep (something) lightly over a surface" is from 1620s. Related: Whisked; whisking.
