wrest

American  

[rest] / rɛst /

verb (used with object)

1. to twist or turn; pull, jerk, or force by a violent twist.

   Synonyms:

   wring

2. to take away by force.

   to wrest a knife from a child.

3. to get by effort.

   to wrest a living from the soil.

   Synonyms:

   wring

4. to twist or turn from the proper course, application, use, meaning, or the like; wrench.

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noun

1. a wresting; twist or wrench.

2. a key or small wrench for tuning stringed musical instruments, as the harp or piano, by turning the pins to which the strings are fastened.

wrest British  

/ rɛst /

verb

1. to take or force away by violent pulling or twisting

2. to seize forcibly by violent or unlawful means

3. to obtain by laborious effort

4. to distort in meaning, purpose, etc

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noun

1. the act or an instance of wresting

2. archaic a small key used to tune a piano or harp

Related Words

See extract.

Other Word Forms

• unwrested adjective
• unwresting adjective
• wrester noun

Etymology

Origin of wrest

First recorded before 1000; (verb) Middle English wresten, Old English wrǣstan “to turn, twist,” from unattested Old Norse wreista ( Icelandic reista ); akin to wrist; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the verb and first recorded in 1350-1400

Example Sentences

Co-star Cynthia Erivo promptly wrested the stunned actress away from Mr Wen, who was seen being escorted out of the event by security officers.

From BBC

After much of the exchanges were dominated by the Eubanks, Benn managed to wrest back attention towards the end of the event.

From BBC

Can Dutch Bros continue to wrest market share from bigger chains?

From The Wall Street Journal

The appellate judges said they were guided by a precedent set in the 9th Circuit this summer, when California tried and failed to wrest back control of federalized soldiers in and around Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times

The move came after the Dutch government wrested control of the company from its Chinese owner.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• exact
• extort
• extract
• seize
• usurp
• wrench
• wring