wrest

[rest]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR wrest ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

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.

noun

a wresting; twist or wrench.

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.

Origin of wrest

before 1000; (v.) Middle English wresten, Old English wrǣstan; cognate with Old Norse reista; akin to wrist; (noun) Middle English: a wresting, derivative of the v.

Related formswrest·er, nounun·wrest·ed, adjectiveun·wrest·ing, adjective

Can be confusedrest wrest

Synonyms for wrest

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR wrest ON THESAURUS.COM

1, 3. wring. 3. See extract.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for wrest

extort, seize, wring, exact, wrench, usurp, extract, wrestle, force, rend, take, squeeze, falsify

Examples from the Web for wrest

Contemporary Examples of wrest

She could never seem to wrest free any back royalties, but she always seemed to owe back taxes.
Before the Earthquake Hit: When The Beatles Landed in America
Michael Tomasky
January 29, 2014
The military made an aggressive push to wrest control over drone targeting decisions away from the president.
Obama: I Make the Drone Decisions
Daniel Klaidman
May 23, 2013
Robert Shrum on the four tricks the GOP might use to wrest back control.
Obama Realigns, the GOP Declines: The New Political Paradigm
Robert Shrum
February 1, 2013
Jade asked Strong if she was ever at a loss for ideas and if so, how she might wrest herself from a slump.
Camp Fashion Design Draws Budding Designers To New York
Robin Givhan
July 13, 2012
The answer is to occupy the Tea Party—and wrest it from the grumpy old men who currently run it.
Blame the Baby Boomers
Niall Ferguson
October 11, 2011

Historical Examples of wrest

He must see who his captive was, wrest from him the heart of the mystery.
Pirates of the Gorm
Nat Schachner
Formerly she would have liked to wrest by force from heaven the secrets of destiny.
Doctor Pascal
Emile Zola
By concession, we may be all we strive for, but never could wrest by force.
The Daltons, Volume I (of II)
Charles James Lever
At the very moment of possessing you some miracle will wrest you from my arms.
The Memoires of Casanova, Complete
Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
And what is more, I'll do it too, in order to wrest my friends from their clutches!
Jack Wright and His Electric Stage;
"Noname"

British Dictionary definitions for wrest

wrest

verb (tr)

to take or force away by violent pulling or twisting

to seize forcibly by violent or unlawful means

to obtain by laborious effort

to distort in meaning, purpose, etc

noun

the act or an instance of wresting

archaic a small key used to tune a piano or harp

Derived Formswrester, noun

Word Origin for wrest

Old English wrǣstan; related to Old Norse reista. See writhe

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for wrest

Old English wræstan "to twist, wrench," from Proto-Germanic *wraistijanan (cf. Old Norse reista "to bend, twist"), derivative of *wrig-, *wreik- "to turn" (see wry). Meaning "to pull, detach" (something) is recorded from c.1300. Meaning "to take by force" (in reference to power, authority, etc.) is attested from early 15c. Related: Wrested; wresting.