wrest (redirected from wresting)

wrest  (rst)

tr.v. wrest·ed, wrest·ing, wrests

1. To obtain by or as if by pulling with violent twisting movements: wrested the book out of his hands; wrested the islands from the settlers.

2. To usurp forcefully: wrested power from the monarchy.

3. To extract by or as if by force, twisting, or persistent effort; wring: wrest the meaning from an obscure poem.

4.

a. To distort or twist the nature or meaning of: wrested the words out of context.

b. To divert to an improper use; misapply.

n.

1. The act of wresting.

2. Music A small tuning key for the wrest pins of a stringed instrument.

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[Middle English wresten, from Old English wrstan, to twist; see wer-² in Indo-European roots.]

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wrester n.

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wrest

Verb

1. to take (something) away from someone with a violent pull or twist

2. to seize forcibly by violent or unlawful means: she must begin to wrest control of the army and the police [Old English wrǣstan]

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

wrest - obtain by seizing forcibly or violently, also metaphorically; "wrest the knife from his hands"; "wrest a meaning from the old text"; "wrest power from the old government" seize - take or capture by force; "The terrorists seized the politicians"; "The rebels threaten to seize civilian hostages"

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wrest

verb 1. seize, take, win, extract

2. pull, force, strain, seize, twist, extract, wrench, wring

Translations

wrest [rɛst] vt to wrest sth from sb → arrebatar or arrancar algo a algn

wrest [rɛst] vt to wrest sth from sb → arracher or ravir qch à qn

wrest [rɛst] vt to wrest sth from sb → jdm etw abringen

wrest [rɛst] vt to wrest sth from sb → strappare qc a qn