wrest

¹wrest

verb \ˈrest\

Definition of WREST

transitive verb

1

: to pull, force, or move by violent wringing or twisting movements

2

: to gain with difficulty by or as if by force, violence, or determined labor

Examples of WREST

1. He tried to wrest control of the company from his uncle.
2. <the boy wrested the book out of his sister's hands>

Origin of WREST

Middle English wrasten, wresten, from Old English wrǣstan; akin to Old Norse reista to bend and probably to Old English wrigian to turn — more at wry

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to WREST

Synonyms: corkscrew, prize, pry, pull, root (out), tear (out), uproot, extract, wring, yank

Related Words: mine, pluck, remove, take (out), withdraw

Near Antonyms: implant, insert, install, instill; cram, jam, ram, stuff, wedge

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with WREST

best, breast, Brest, chest, crest, gest, geste, guest, hest, jessed, jest, lest, nest, pest, quest, rest, test, tressed, vest, west, zest