Etymology

Origin obscure, but apparently akin to Scots forlegen, forlagen ‎(“utterly worn out, completely exhausted”), Danish and Norwegian forlegen ‎(“embarrassed, perplexed”), Dutch verlagen ‎(“abashed, degraded, soiled, abased”), equivalent to for- +‎ lain. The sense development may be due to Scandinavian influence, compare Faroese leggjask firi ‎(“to become exhausted”), Old Norse leggjask fyrir ‎(“to give up hope”).