Definitions for: Wrench


[n] a hand tool that is used to hold or twist a nut or bolt
[n] a jerky pulling movement
[n] a sharp strain on muscles or ligaments; "the wrench to his knee occurred as he fell"; "he was sidelined with a hamstring pull"
[v] twist suddenly so as to sprain; "wrench one's ankle"; "The wrestler twisted his shoulder"; "the hikers sprained their ankles when they fell"; "I turned my ankle and couldn't walk for several days"
[v] twist and compress, as if in pain or anguish; "Wring one's hand"
[v] twist or pull violently or suddenly, esp. so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates; "wrench a window off its hinges"; "wrench oneself free from somebody's grip"; "a deep sigh was wrenched from his chest"
[v] make a sudden twisting motion



Webster (1913) Definition: Wrench (r[e^]nch), n. [OE. wrench deceit, AS. wrenc
deceit, a twisting; akin to G. rank intrigue, crookedness,
renken to bend, twist, and E. wring. [root]144. See Wring,
and cf. Ranch, v. t.]
1. Trick; deceit; fraud; stratagem. [Obs.]

His wily wrenches thou ne mayst not flee. --Chaucer.

2. A violent twist, or a pull with twisting.

He wringeth them such a wrench. --Skelton.

The injurious effect upon biographic literature of
all such wrenches to the truth, is diffused
everywhere. --De Quincey.

3. A sprain; an injury by twisting, as in a joint.

4. Means; contrivance. [Obs.] --Bacon.

5. An instrument, often a simple bar or lever with jaws or an
angular orifice either at the end or between the ends, for
exerting a twisting strain, as in turning bolts, nuts,
screw taps, etc.; a screw key. Many wrenches have
adjustable jaws for grasping nuts, etc., of different
sizes.

6. (Mech.) The system made up of a force and a couple of
forces in a plane perpendicular to that force. Any number
of forces acting at any points upon a rigid body may be
compounded so as to be equivalent to a wrench.

Carriage wrench, a wrench adapted for removing or
tightening the nuts that confine the wheels on the axles,
or for turning the other nuts or bolts of a carriage or
wagon.

Monkey wrench. See under Monkey.

Wrench hammer, a wrench with the end shaped so as to admit
of being used as a hammer.


Wrench, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wrenched; p. pr. & vb. n.
Wrenching.] [OE. wrenchen, AS. wrencan to deceive,
properly, to twist, from wrenc guile, deceit, a twisting.
????. See Wrench, n.]
1. To pull with a twist; to wrest, twist, or force by
violence.

Wrench his sword from him. --Shak.

Forthwith this frame of mine was wrenched With a
woeful agony. --Coleridge.

2. To strain; to sprain; hence, to distort; to pervert.

You wrenched your foot against a stone. --Swift.

Synonyms: pull, rick, spanner, sprain, turn, twist, twist, twist, wrick, wring

See Also: adjustable spanner, adjustable wrench, Allen wrench, alligator wrench, box end wrench, box wrench, brace wrench, bulldog wrench, carriage wrench, distort, dog wrench, hand tool, harm, hook spanner, hook wrench, hurt, injure, injury, jaw, jaws, lug wrench, motion, movement, open-end wrench, pin wrench, pull, screw key, socket wrench, sparkplug wrench, sprain, squeeze out, squirm, tap wrench, tappet wrench, torque wrench, trauma, twine, twist, twist, worm, wound, wrestle, wriggle, wring out, writhe

Try our:
Scrabble Word Finder

Scrabble Cheat

Words With Friends Cheat

Hanging With Friends Cheat

Scramble With Friends Cheat

Ruzzle Cheat



Related Resources:
animals starting with i
g letter animals
animals starting with u