wring

[ ring ]

/ rɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR wring ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), wrung, wring·ing.

to twist forcibly: He wrung the chicken's neck.

to twist and compress, or compress without twisting, in order to force out water or other liquid (often followed by out): to wring clothes.

to extract or expel by twisting or compression (usually followed by out or from).

to affect painfully by or as if by some contorting or compressing action.

to clasp tightly with or without twisting: to wring one's hands in pain.

to force (usually followed by off) by twisting.

to extract or get by forceful effort or means (often followed by out).

verb (used without object), wrung, wring·ing.

to perform the action of wringing something.

to writhe, as in anguish.

noun

a wringing; forcible twist or squeeze.

Nearby words

Origin of wring

before 900; Middle English wringen, Old English wringan; cognate with German ringen to wrestle

Related formsout·wring, verb (used with object), out·wrung, out·wring·ing.

Can be confusedring wring

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

Examples from the Web for wring

Some things never change as we wring out the old year and ring in the new one.
New Year’s Eve, Babylon Style|Candida Moss|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To wring all that can be wrung from metaphor, note what our elected and appointed officials are not dressed as.
Election Day Is Scarier Than Halloween|P. J. O’Rourke|November 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This makes what Obama and John Kerry manage to wring out of the Russians in the next two days absolutely crucial.
Did Obama Just Change His Luck on Syria?|Michael Tomasky|September 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It could find other ways to wring costs of its operations, like using less packaging or electricity.
Sad Face at Walmart|Daniel Gross|May 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Now Brooks spoke of a death so horrific as to wring tears from a man who has seen gun death after gun death after gun death.
Jonylah Watkins, Gunned Down in Chicago, Was a ‘Happy Baby’|Michael Daly|March 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He turned from them once more; they went away in a dejection to wring our compassion, and we thought the matter ended at last.
The Crossing|Winston Churchill
Help me to wring one drop of vengeance on this side of the grave.
Romola|George Eliot
If there are nets about this tree, I will wring your neck for the false songster that you are.
Sir Mortimer|Mary Johnston
She may tear her hair, wring her hands, laugh or weep immoderately, and finally swoon.
Epilepsy, Hysteria, and Neurasthenia|Isaac G. Briggs
He will make your life a torment to you and clip every ring of gold that at length you wring out of his grip.
Moon of Israel|H. Rider Haggard

British Dictionary definitions for wring

wring

/ (rɪŋ) /

verb wrings, wringing or wrung

(often foll by out) to twist and compress to squeeze (a liquid) from (cloth, etc)

(tr) to twist forciblywring its neck

(tr) to clasp and twist (one's hands), esp in anguish

(tr) to distresswring one's heart

(tr) to grip (someone's hand) vigorously in greeting

(tr) to obtain by or as if by forceful meanswring information out of

(intr) to writhe with or as if with pain

wringing wet soaking; drenched

noun

an act or the process of wringing

Word Origin for wring

Old English wringan; related to Old High German ringan (German wringen), Gothic wrungō snare. See wrangle, wrong

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 wring

wring

Old English wringan "press, strain, wring, twist" (class III strong verb; past tense wrang, past participle wrungen), from Proto-Germanic *wrenganan (cf. Old English wringen "to wring, press out," Old Frisian wringa, Middle Dutch wringhen, Dutch wringen "to wring," Old High German ringan "to move to and fro, to twist," German ringen "to wrestle"), from PIE *wrengh- "to turn," nasalized variant of *wergh- "to turn," from root *wer- (3) "to turn, bend" (see versus).

wring

verb (used with object), wrung, wring·ing.

verb (used without object), wrung, wring·ing.

noun

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of wring

Examples from the Web for wring

wring

verb wrings, wringing or wrung

noun

Word Origin for wring

wring