wrench

[rench]

verb (used with object)

1. to twist suddenly and forcibly; pull, jerk, or force by a violent twist.

   He wrenched the prisoner's wrist.

2. to overstrain or injure (the ankle, knee, etc.) by a sudden, violent twist.

   When she fell, she wrenched her ankle.

3. to affect distressingly as if by a wrench.

4. to wrest, as from the right use or meaning.

   to wrench the facts out of context.

   Synonyms: warp, twist, distort

verb (used without object)

1. to twist, turn, or move suddenly aside.

   He wrenched away.

2. to give a wrench or twist at something.

noun

1. a wrenching movement; a sudden, violent twist.

   With a quick wrench, she freed herself.

2. a painful, straining twist, as of the ankle or wrist.

3. a sharp, distressing strain, as to the feelings.

4. a twisting or distortion, as of meaning.

5. 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.

wrench

/ rɛntʃ /

verb

1. 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

2. (tr) to twist suddenly so as to sprain (a limb)

   to wrench one's ankle

3. (tr) to give pain to

4. (tr) to twist from the original meaning or purpose

5. (intr) to make a sudden twisting motion

noun

1. a forceful twist or pull

2. an injury to a limb, caused by twisting

3. sudden pain caused esp by parting

4. a parting that is difficult or painful to make

5. a distorting of the original meaning or purpose

6. a spanner, esp one with adjustable jaws See also torque wrench

Other Word Forms

• wrencher noun
• wrenchingly adverb
• outwrench verb (used with object)
• unwrenched adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrench¹

before 1050; Middle English wrenchen (v.), Old English wrencan to twist, turn; cognate with German renken

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrench¹

Old English wrencan; related to Old High German renken, Lithuanian rangyti to twist. See _wrinkle ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see throw a monkey wrench.

Example Sentences

But given the change in landscape for women's rugby in England over the past decade, she may never have to put down the rugby ball and pick up the wrench again.

Read more on BBC

Gustavo Dudamel isn’t famous for his prowess as a jazz musician, but when forces beyond his control threw a wrench into his plans for concerts this week at the Hollywood Bowl, the L.A.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In the frantic hours after political activist Charlie Kirk was killed by a sniper at a Utah university, those closest to the alleged shooter began making wrenching discoveries, authorities said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In other instances people are just looking to “throw monkey wrenches into the gears of Democracy because, for adversaries, weakening the United States is something they try to do generally.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A head teacher who was jailed for attacking a fellow teacher with a metal wrench has been released four months after being sentenced, the Prison Service has confirmed.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bend 
• dislocate 
• distort 
• rip 
• sprain 
• tweak 
• wrest 
• wring 
• yank