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

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

Conservatives in many of those states have been campaigning for decades to try to wrest control of some of that property from the federal government, saying that decisions about its use should be made closer to home.

From Los Angeles Times

Kamala Harris, a Democrat, is hoping to wrest the potentially pivotal swing state from Trump, a Republican, in November's White House election.

From BBC

But it’s also because some MPs behind the scenes are still hopeful that they can wrest some mitigation from the Chancellor in next month’s budget, so don’t want to antagonise No 11.

From BBC

Related Words

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