Wrest

Quick meaning: Wrest is a verb meaning (transitive) To pull or twist violently.

Meaning

(transitive) To pull or twist violently.

More Meanings

1. (transitive) To obtain by pulling or violent force.
2. (transitive, figuratively) To seize.
3. (transitive, figuratively) To distort, to pervert, to twist.
4. (transitive, music) To tune with a wrest, or key.
5. The act of wresting; a wrench or twist; distortion.
6. (music) A key to tune a stringed instrument.
7. (obsolete) Active or motive power.

Example Sentences

He wrested the remote control from my grasp and changed the channel.

And I beſeech you / Wreſt once the Law to your authority, / To do a great right, do a little wrong, / And curbe this cruell deuill of his will.

[S]he was one of your ſoft ſpoken, canting, whining hypocrites, who with a truly jeſuitical art, could wreſt evil out of the moſt inoffenſive thought, word, look or action; [...]

Does the devil strive to keep Christ out of men's hearts, and to preserve his own influence over them, by the weapon of ignorance? Christ wrests it from him by letting in a stream of light.

Word Forms

• wrests
• wresting
• wrested

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include pluck, snatch, tear, rend, seize, uproot.

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