Wrest Definition
rĕst
wrested, wresting, wrests
verb
To obtain or remove by pulling with twisting movements.
Wrested the book out of his hands.
American Heritage
To turn or twist; esp., to pull or force away violently with a twisting motion.
Webster's New World
To take or extract by force; usurp; extort; wring.
Webster's New World
To gain or extract with persistent effort; wring.
Wrested concessions from their opponents.
American Heritage
To distort or change the true meaning, purpose, use, etc. of; pervert; twist.
Webster's New World
noun
The act of wresting; a twist; wrench.
Webster's New World
A small tuning key for the wrest pins of a stringed instrument.
American Heritage
Origin of Wrest
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From Old English wræstan (“to twist, wrench"), from Proto-Germanic *wraistijanÄ… (cf. Old Norse reista (“to bend, twist")), from a derivative of Proto-Indo-European *wreiḱ-. See also wry, writhe.
From Wiktionary
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Middle English wresten from Old English wrǣstan to twist wer-2 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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