Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Wring?

\Wring\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wrung}, Obs. {Wringed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Wringing}.] [OE. wringen, AS. wringan; akin to LG. & D. wringen, OHG. ringan to struggle, G. ringen, Sw. vr["a]nga to distort, Dan. vringle to twist. Cf. {Wrangle}, {Wrench}, {Wrong}.] 1. To twist and compress; to turn and strain with violence; to writhe; to squeeze hard; to pinch; as, to wring clothes in washing. ``Earnestly wringing Waverley's hand.'' --Sir W. Scott. ``Wring him by the nose.'' --Shak. [His steed] so sweat that men might him wring. --Chaucer. The king began to find where his shoe did wring him. --Bacon. The priest shall bring it [a dove] unto the altar, and wring off his head. --Lev. i. 15. 2. Hence, to pain; to distress; to torment; to torture. Too much grieved and wrung by an uneasy and strait fortune. --Clarendon. Didst thou taste but half the griefs That wring my soul, thou couldst not talk thus coldly. --Addison. 3. To distort; to pervert; to wrest. How dare men thus wring the Scriptures? --Whitgift. 4. To extract or obtain by twisting and compressing; to squeeze or press (out); hence, to extort; to draw forth by violence, or against resistance or repugnance; -- usually with out or form. Your overkindness doth wring tears from me. --Shak. He rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece. --Judg. vi. 38. 5. To subject to extortion; to afflict, or oppress, in order to enforce compliance. To wring the widow from her 'customed right. --Shak. The merchant adventures have been often wronged and wringed to the quick. --Hayward. 6. (Naut.) To bend or strain out of its position; as, to wring a mast.
\Wring\, v. i. To writhe; to twist, as with anguish. 'T is all men's office to speak patience To those that wring under the load of sorrow. --Shak. Look where the sister of the king of France Sits wringing of her hands, and beats her breast. --Marlowe.
\Wring\, n. A writhing, as in anguish; a twisting; a griping. [Obs.] --Bp. Hall.