Wresting

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Wrest \Wrest\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wrested}; p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Wresting}.] [OE. wresten, AS. wr?stan; akin to wr?? a
     twisted band, and wr[imac]?n to twist. See {Writhe}.]
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     1. To turn; to twist; esp., to twist or extort by violence;
        to pull of force away by, or as if by, violent wringing or


        twisting. "The secret wrested from me." --Milton.
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              Our country's cause,
              That drew our swords, now secret wrests them from
              our hand.                             --Addison.
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              They instantly wrested the government out of the
              hands of Hastings.                    --Macaulay.
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     2. To turn from truth; to twist from its natural or proper
        use or meaning by violence; to pervert; to distort.
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              Wrest once the law to your authority. --Shak.
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              Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor. --Ex.
                                                    xxiii. 6.
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              Their arts of wresting, corrupting, and false
              interpreting the holy text.           --South.
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     3. To tune with a wrest, or key. [Obs.]
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