wrest

¹wrest

transitive verb \ˈrest\

Definition of WREST

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

Rhymes with WREST

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

²wrest

noun

Definition of WREST

1

: the action of wresting : wrench

2

archaic : a key or wrench used for turning pins in a stringed instrument (as a piano)

First Known Use of WREST

14th century