Wrench
to twist suddenly and forcibly; pull, jerk, or force by a violent twist:
he wrenched the prisoner’s wrist.
to overstrain or injure (the ankle, knee, etc.) by a sudden, violent twist:
when she fell, she wrenched her ankle.
to affect distressingly as if by a wrench.
to wrest, as from the right use or meaning:
to wrench the facts out of context.
to twist, turn, or move suddenly aside:
he wrenched away.
to give a wrench or twist at something.
a wrenching movement; a sudden, violent twist:
with a quick wrench, she freed herself.
a painful, straining twist, as of the ankle or wrist.
a sharp, distressing strain, as to the feelings.
a twisting or distortion, as of meaning.
a tool for gripping and turning or twisting the head of a bolt, a nut, a pipe, or the like, commonly consisting of a bar of metal with fixed or adjustable jaws.
contemporary examples
the dirty college admissions trick marc zawel april 28, 2010
the most annoying myth in politics jamelle bouie february 23, 2014
‘the good wife’: robert and mich-lle king on alicia, kalinda, renewal prospects, and more jace lacob march 11, 2012
how the palin family chooses those names pamela redmond satran/nameberry december 29, 2008
reno’s reckless air tragedy clive irving september 16, 2011
historical examples
mike p. g. wodehouse
meadow gr-ss alice brown
the star hyacinths james h. schmitz
captain blood rafael sabatini
billy topsail & company norman duncan
verb
to give (something) a sudden or violent twist or pull esp so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached: to wrench a door off its hinges
(transitive) to twist suddenly so as to sprain (a limb): to wrench one’s ankle
(transitive) to give pain to
(transitive) to twist from the original meaning or purpose
(intransitive) to make a sudden twisting motion
noun
a forceful twist or pull
an injury to a limb, caused by twisting
sudden pain caused esp by parting
a parting that is difficult or painful to make
a distorting of the original meaning or purpose
a spanner, esp one with adjustable jaws see also torque wrench
v.
n.
see: throw a monkey wrench
Read Also:
- Wrens
the women’s royal naval service: established in 1917 as an auxiliary to the royal navy. any of numerous small, active songbirds of the family troglodytidae, especially troglodytes troglodytes, of the northern hemisphere, having dark-brown plumage barred with black and a short, upright tail. compare house wren, marsh wren, rock wren, winter wren. any of various […]
- Wrest-pin
peg (def 5). historical examples scientific american supplement, no. 385, may 19, 1883 various noun (on a piano, harp, etc) a pin around which one end of a string is wound: it may be turned by means of a tuning key to alter the tension of the string. in a piano the wrest pin is […]
- Wrested
to twist or turn; pull, jerk, or force by a violent twist. to take away by force: to wrest a knife from a child. to get by effort: to wrest a living from the soil. to twist or turn from the proper course, application, use, meaning, or the like; wrench. a wresting; twist or wrench. […]
- Wretch
a deplorably unfortunate or unhappy person. a person of despicable or base character. contemporary examples meet ‘the queen of thieves’ marm mandelbaum, new york city’s first mob boss j. north conway september 6, 2014 historical examples the pilgrim’s sh-ll or fergan the quarryman eugne sue malbone thomas wentworth higginson letters written during a short residence […]
- Wretchedly
very unfortunate in condition or circ-mstances; miserable; pitiable. characterized by or attended with misery and sorrow. despicable, contemptible, or mean: a wretched miser. poor, sorry, or pitiful; worthless: a wretched job of sewing. contemporary examples understanding diana vreeland, ‘empress of fashion’ robin givhan november 27, 2012 give steele a reality show john batchelor november 13, […]