From Middle English mithen, from Old English mītan ?(“to hide, conceal; keep to oneself, dissemble; conceal oneself, remain concealed; avoid, shun, refrain from”), from Proto-Germanic *mītan? ?(“to avoid”), from Proto-Indo-European *meit- ?(“to change, switch”). Cognate with Dutch mijden ?(“to avoid, evade”), German meiden ?(“to avoid, shun, forbear”).