wrest

[ rest ]

verb (used with object)

1. to twist or turn; pull, jerk, or force by a violent twist.

   Synonyms: wring

2. to take away by force:

   to wrest a knife from a child.

3. to get by effort:

   to wrest a living from the soil.

   Synonyms: wring

4. to twist or turn from the proper course, application, use, meaning, or the like; wrench.

noun

1. a wresting; twist or wrench.
2. a key or small wrench for tuning stringed musical instruments, as the harp or piano, by turning the pins to which the strings are fastened.

wrest

/ rɛst /

verb

1. to take or force away by violent pulling or twisting
2. to seize forcibly by violent or unlawful means
3. to obtain by laborious effort
4. to distort in meaning, purpose, etc

noun

1. the act or an instance of wresting
2. archaic.
   a small key used to tune a piano or harp

Derived Forms

• ˈwrester, noun

Other Words From

• wrester noun
• un·wrested adjective
• un·wresting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrest¹

First recorded before 1000; (verb) Middle English wresten, Old English wrǣstan “to turn, twist,” from unattested Old Norse wreista ( Icelandic reista ); akin to wrist; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the verb and first recorded in 1350-1400

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrest¹

Old English wrǣstan; related to Old Norse reista. See writhe

Synonym Study

See extract.

Example Sentences

A UN-backed policing mission, led by officers from Kenya, had begun in June in an attempt to wrest back control from gangs.

From BBC

Republicans took a step towards winning control of the Senate on Tuesday night by wresting a seat in West Virginia from the Democrats and beating off a stiff challenge in Texas.

From BBC

At the time Poland’s Parliament wrested power from the king with its cry of “Nothing about us without us,” it was made up solely by men from the noble class.

From Salon

There is a risk of damaging your existing, underlying paint when you eventually wrest Unpaint off your walls, but, if the permanent paint below is in good condition, this shouldn’t happen, says Mr Botero.

From BBC

It was men — these “protectors of women” — who later wrested control of women’s health and reproduction from women themselves.

From Salon

Related Words

• exact
• extort
• extract
• seize
• usurp
• wrench
• wring