wringer

[ ring-er ]

/ ˈrɪŋ ər /

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See synonyms for wringer on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person or thing that wrings.

an apparatus or machine for squeezing liquid out of anything wet, as two rollers through which an article of wet clothing may be squeezed.

a painful, difficult, or tiring experience; ordeal (usually preceded by through the): His child's illness really put him through the wringer.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of wringer

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at wring, -er¹

Words nearby wringer

Wright brothers, Wright, Frank Lloyd, Wright, Richard, Wrigley, wring, wringer, wring together, wrinkle, wrinklies, wrinkly, wrist

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use wringer in a sentence

Our testers put these clothes through the wringer, from northern Wisconsin and the southwestern desert to the frozen Alaskan interior.
The Best Winter Workwear of 2022|jversteegh|October 26, 2021|Outside Online
Youth sports in America have been put through the wringer amid the pandemic, and while accessibility and participation are starting to rebound, there's still work to be done.
28% of kids lose interest in playing sports since COVID|Jeff Tracy|October 12, 2021|Axios
The industry he now represents is being put through the wringer.
How the new CEO of the IAB Tech Lab plans to support a responsible digital ad ecosystem|Seb Joseph|September 22, 2021|Digiday
So I recruited six women to put the current crop of overshorts through the wringer.
The Best Mountain-Bike Shorts for Women|Kelly Bastone|June 9, 2021|Outside Online

More tips Return to top Parents, you have been through the wringer this year.
As stay-at-home restrictions rise, here are ways to cope|Washington Post Staff, Elizabeth Chang, Mari-Jane Williams, Becky Krystal, Kendra Nichols, Caitlin Moore, Stephanie Merry, Missy Rosenberg, Katherine Lee|December 2, 2020|Washington Post
He degraded her and he really put her through the wringer, but she survived that and stayed with him anyway.
Adam Driver on Role-Play Sex with Lena Dunham on ‘Girls’ and Adam’s Stormy Relationship with Hannah|Marlow Stern|March 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I was angry that good people were run through the wringer of a corrupt, unforgiving system.
Nuclear Sub Cheating Scandal|Christopher Brownfield|September 22, 2010|DAILY BEAST
But then again, he would probably not want to go through the wringer a second time.
The White House's TSA Failure|Clive Irving|March 27, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Put a man on a pedestal and suddenly it's hard for the press to drag him through the political wringer.
The Coronation of King Obama|Katty Kay|January 18, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Before he had reached the age of five, he nearly lost a finger in trying to discover how his mother's clothes-wringer worked.
The Boy Chums in the Florida Jungle|Wilmer M. Ely
Don't wring the curtains with your hands simply squeeze them or put them gently through the wringer.
Lace Curtain Cleaning|Mrs. Albert Leigh
"I didn't get it on trial, like a wash-wringer," retorted the Colonel.
The Barrier|Allen French
Judging from his looks, he might have been run through a wringer.
The Boy Scouts of Lakeville High|Leslie W. Quirk
Know how to use soap and starch, how to soften hard water, and how to use a wringer or mangle.
How Girls Can Help Their Country|Juliette Low

British Dictionary definitions for wringer

wringer

/ (ˈrɪŋə) /

noun

another name for mangle 2 (def. 1)

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with wringer

wringer

see under put through (the wringer).

wringer

Origin of wringer

Words nearby wringer

Words related to wringer

How to use wringer in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for wringer

Other Idioms and Phrases with wringer