wrench

[ rench ]

verb (used with object)

1. to twist suddenly and forcibly; pull, jerk, or force by a violent twist:

   He wrenched the prisoner's wrist.

2. to overstrain or injure (the ankle, knee, etc.) by a sudden, violent twist:

   When she fell, she wrenched her ankle.

3. to affect distressingly as if by a wrench.
4. to wrest, as from the right use or meaning:

   to wrench the facts out of context.

   Synonyms: warp, twist, distort

verb (used without object)

1. to twist, turn, or move suddenly aside:

   He wrenched away.

2. to give a wrench or twist at something.

noun

1. a wrenching movement; a sudden, violent twist:

   With a quick wrench, she freed herself.

2. a painful, straining twist, as of the ankle or wrist.
3. a sharp, distressing strain, as to the feelings.
4. a twisting or distortion, as of meaning.
5. a tool for gripping and turning or twisting the head of a bolt, a nut, a pipe, or the like, commonly consisting of a bar of metal with fixed or adjustable jaws.

wrench

/ rɛntʃ /

verb

1. to give (something) a sudden or violent twist or pull esp so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached

   to wrench a door off its hinges

2. tr to twist suddenly so as to sprain (a limb)

   to wrench one's ankle

3. tr to give pain to
4. tr to twist from the original meaning or purpose
5. intr to make a sudden twisting motion

noun

1. a forceful twist or pull
2. an injury to a limb, caused by twisting
3. sudden pain caused esp by parting
4. a parting that is difficult or painful to make
5. a distorting of the original meaning or purpose
6. a spanner, esp one with adjustable jaws See also torque wrench

Other Words From

• wrencher noun
• wrenching·ly adverb
• outwrench verb (used with object)
• un·wrenched adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrench¹

before 1050; Middle English wrenchen (v.), Old English wrencan to twist, turn; cognate with German renken

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrench¹

Old English wrencan; related to Old High German renken, Lithuanian rangyti to twist. See wrinkle ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see throw a monkey wrench .

Example Sentences

As Thursday's outage unfolded, Bluesky staff tried to make light of the situation, with one developer joking: “Btw — Today will get interesting! If the site goes down, maybe grab a soda, pet the kitty. We’ll hit it with a wrench as fast as we can.”

From BBC

The mass deportations would wrench apart families and shatter the lives of millions of people who possibly spent years or decades establishing themselves, their families and their communities in the country, critics warn.

From Salon

The conservative justices threw a monkey wrench into the case with their opinion granting broad presidential immunity from prosecution, working through the implications of which will take at least another year.

From Los Angeles Times

Recounting an oversight hearing on Capitol Hill, Gluesenkamp Perez describes looking over the witnesses with their fusty manner and fancy pedigrees and wondering if any had ever turned a wrench.

From Los Angeles Times

Another, NX109, got the finger of his glove caught in the Audi's door handle and just managed to wrench it free as it moved forward, telling the jury he thought he would be dragged between it and a Tesla parked nearby.

From BBC

Related Words

• bend
• dislocate
• distort
• rip
• sprain
• tweak
• wrest
• wring
• yank