wrench · Contextualize

Etymology

From Middle English wrench, from Old English wrenċ, from Proto-Germanic *wrankiz, from Proto-Indo-European *wreng- (“to turn”). Compare German Rank (“plot, intrigue”).

derived from *wreng-✻ — “to turn”
inherited from *wrankiz✻
inherited from wrenċ
inherited from wrench

Definitions

1
A movement that twists or pulls violently
A movement that twists or pulls violently; a tug.
- With a wrench, which threw his victim back upon the bed as though hurled from a height, he turned and sprang at us.
- It was difficult indeed for Max to disengage himself from the effusive Spinola's affection without a wrench.
An injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb
An injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb; strain, sprain.
A trick or artifice.
›+ 22 more definitionsshow fewer
1. Deceit
  Deceit; guile; treachery.
2. A turn at an acute angle.
3. A winch or windlass.
4. A screw.
5. A distorting change from the original meaning.
6. A hand tool for making rotational adjustments, such as fitting nuts and bolts, or fitting…
  A hand tool for making rotational adjustments, such as fitting nuts and bolts, or fitting pipes.
7. An adjustable spanner used by plumbers.
8. A violent emotional change caused by separation.
9. In screw theory, a screw assembled from force and torque vectors arising from application…
  In screw theory, a screw assembled from force and torque vectors arising from application of Newton's laws to a rigid body.
10. 13
  means
  means; contrivance
  - But weighing one thing with another he gave Britain for lost; but resolved to make his profit of this business of Britain, as a quarrel for war; and that of Naples, as a wrench and mean for peace
11. In coursing, the act of bringing the hare round at less than a right angle, worth half a…
  In coursing, the act of bringing the hare round at less than a right angle, worth half a point in the recognised code of points for judging.
12. 15
  To pull or twist violently.
  - With a surge of adrenaline, she wrenched the car door off and pulled out the injured man.
13. 16
  To injure (a joint) by pulling or twisting.
  - Be careful not to wrench your ankle walking along those loose stones!
14. To distort the original meaning of
  To distort the original meaning of; to misrepresent.
15. 18
  To rack with pain
  To rack with pain; to make hurt or distressed.
  - And what actinic, mind-wrenching form could the countermeme take? How could human hands assemble something so devastatingly powerful and hold it steady; what human mind could wield it without exploding from the inside out?
16. To deprive by means of a violent pull or twist.
17. 20
  To use a wrench
  To use a wrench; to twist with a wrench.
  - The plumber wrenched the pipes until they came loose.
18. To violently move in a turn or writhe.
19. 22
  To tighten with or as if with a winch.
  - [S]end me that hag hither; she shall avouch what it was that she hath given to the wretch Dryfesdale, or the pilniewinks and thumbikins shall wrench it out of her finger-joints.
20. To thrust (a weapon) in a twisting motion.
21. To disarm an opponent by whirling their blade away.
22. A surname transferred from the nickname.

The neighborhood

Derived

adjustable wrench, Allen wrench, alligator wrench, bed wrench, bicycle wrench, crescent wrench, dog bone wrench, flare-nut wrench, flare nut wrench, hex head wrench, hook wrench, key wrench, monkey-wrench, monkey wrench, monkeywrench, nipple wrench, nut wrench, pipe wrench, plumber wrench, ratchet wrench, ring wrench, screw wrench, smoke wrench, socket wrench, spanner wrench, spider wrench, spoke wrench, Stillson wrench, Swedish wrench, tension wrench, throw a monkey wrench in the works, throw a monkey wrench into the works, throw a wrench in, throw a wrench in the gears, throw a wrench in the works, throw a wrench into the works, torque wrench, torsion wrench, tube wrench, tuning wrench · +4 more

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at wrench. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

A definitional loop anchored at wrench. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

7 hops · closes at wrench

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.