Chapter 1908

2. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of numerous species of small singing birds more or less resembling the true wrens in size and habits.

&hand; Among these are several species of European warblers; as, the reed wren (see Reed warbler (a) , under Reed ), the sedge wren (see Sedge warbler , under Sedge ), the willow wren (see Willow warbler , under Willow ), the golden-crested wren, and the ruby-crowned wren (see Kinglet ).

Ant wren , any one of numerous South American birds of the family Formicarid\'91 , allied to the ant thrushes. -- Blue wren , a small Australian singing bird ( Malurus cyaneus ), the male of which in the breeding season is bright blue. Called also superb warbler . -- Emu wren . See in the Vocabulary. -- Wren babbler , any one of numerous species of small timaline birds belonging to Alcippe , Stachyris , Timalia , and several allied genera. These birds are common in Southern Asia and the East Indies. -- Wren tit . See Ground wren , under Ground . -- Wren warbler , any one of several species of small Asiatic and African singing birds belonging to Prinia and allied genera. These birds are closely allied to the tailor birds, and build their nests in a similar manner. See also Pincpinc .

Wrench <Xpage=1668>

Wrench (?) , n. [OE. wrench deceit, AS. wrenc deceit, a twisting; akin to G. rank intrigue, crookedness, renken to bend, twist, and E. wring . <?/<?/<?/<?/. See Wring , and cf. Ranch , v. t. ]

1. Trick; deceit; fraud; stratagem. [Obs.]

His wily wrenches thou ne mayst not flee. Chaucer.

2. A violent twist, or a pull with twisting.

He wringeth them such a wrench . Skelton.

The injurious effect upon biographic literature of all such wrenches to the truth, is diffused everywhere. De Quincey.

3. A sprain; an injury by twisting, as in a joint.

4. Means; contrivance. [Obs.]

Bacon.

5. An instrument, often a simple bar or lever with jaws or an angular orifice either at the end or between the ends, for exerting a twisting strain, as in turning bolts, nuts, screw taps, etc.; a screw key. Many wrenches have adjustable jaws for grasping nuts, etc., of different sizes.

6. (Mech.) The system made up of a force and a couple of forces in a plane perpendicular to that force. Any number of forces acting at any points upon a rigid body may be compounded so as to be equivalent to a wrench.

Carriage wrench , a wrench adapted for removing or tightening the nuts that confine the wheels on the axles, or for turning the other nuts or bolts of a carriage or wagon. -- Monkey wrench . See under Monkey . -- Wrench hammer , a wrench with the end shaped so as to admit of being used as a hammer.

Wrench <Xpage=1668>

Wrench , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wrenched (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Wrenching .] [OE. wrenchen , AS. wrencan to deceive, properly, to twist, from wrenc guile, deceit, a twisting. <?/<?/<?/<?/. See Wrench , n. ]

1. To pull with a twist; to wrest, twist, or force by violence.

Wrench his sword from him. Shak.

Forthwith this frame of mine was wrenched With a woeful agony. Coleridge.

2. To strain; to sprain; hence, to distort; to pervert.

You wrenched your foot against a stone. Swift.

Wrest <Xpage=1668>

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\'c6<?/n to twist. See Writhe .]

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.

Our country's cause, That drew our swords, now secret wrests them from our hand. Addison.

They instantly wrested the government out of the hands of Hastings. Macaulay.

2. To turn from truth; to twist from its natural or proper use or meaning by violence; to pervert; to distort.

Wrest once the law to your authority. Shak.

Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor. Ex. xxiii. 6.

Their arts of wresting , corrupting, and false interpreting the holy text. South.

3. To tune with a wrest, or key. [Obs.]

Wrest <Xpage=1668>

Wrest , n. 1. The act of wresting; a wrench; a violent twist; hence, distortion; perversion.

Hooker.

2. Active or moving power. [Obs.]

Spenser.

3. A key to tune a stringed instrument of music.

The minstrel . . . wore round his neck a silver chain, by which hung the wrest , or key, with which he tuned his harp. Sir W. Scott.

4. A partition in a water wheel, by which the form of the buckets is determined.

Wrest pin (Piano Manuf.) , one of the pins around which the ends of the wires are wound in a piano. Knight . -- Wrest plank (Piano Manuf.) , the part in which the wrest pins are inserted.

Wrester <Xpage=1668>

Wrest"er (?) , n. One who wrests.

Wrestle <Xpage=1668>

Wres"tle (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Wrestled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Wrestling (?) .] [OE. wrestlen , wrastlen , AS. wr<?/stlian , freq. of wr<?/stan to wrest; akin to OD. wrastelen to wrestle . See Wrest , v. t. ]

1. To contend, by grappling with, and striving to trip or throw down, an opponent; as, they wrestled skillfully .

To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for my credit, and he that escapes me without some broken limb shall acquit him well. Shak.

Another, by a fall in wrestling , started the end of the clavicle from the sternum. Wiseman.

2. Hence, to struggle; to strive earnestly; to contend.

Come, wrestle with thy affections. Shak.

We wrestle not against flesh and blood. Eph. vi. 12.

Difficulties with which he had himself wrestled . M. Arnold.

Wrestle <Xpage=1668>

Wres"tle , v. t. To wrestle with; to seek to throw down as in wrestling.

Wrestle <Xpage=1668>

Wres"tle , n. A struggle between two persons to see which will throw the other down; a bout at wrestling; a wrestling match; a struggle.

Whom in a wrestle the giant catching aloft, with a terrible hug broke three of his ribs. Milton.

Wrestler <Xpage=1668>

Wres"tler (?) , n. [AS. wr&aemac;stlere .] One who wrestles; one who is skillful in wrestling.

Wretch <Xpage=1668>

Wretch (?) , n. [OE. wrecche , AS. wrecca , wr\'91cca , an exile, a wretch, fr. wrecan to drive out, punish; properly, an exile, one driven out, akin to AS. wr\'91c an exile, OS. wrekkio a stranger, OHG. reccheo an exile. See Wreak , v. t. ]

1. A miserable person; one profoundly unhappy. "The wretch that lies in woe."

Shak.

Hovered thy spirit o'er thy sorrowing son, Wretch even then, life's journey just begun? Cowper.

2. One sunk in vice or degradation; a base, despicable person; a vile knave; as, a profligate wretch .

&hand; Wretch is sometimes used by way of slight or ironical pity or contempt, and sometimes to express tenderness; as we say, poor thing . "Poor wretch was never frighted so."

Drayton.

Wretched <Xpage=1668>

Wretch"ed , a. 1. Very miserable; sunk in, or accompanied by, deep affliction or distress, as from want, anxiety, or grief; calamitous; woeful; very afflicting. "To what wretched state reserved!"

Milton.

O cruel! Death! to those you are more kind Than to the wretched mortals left behind. Waller.

<-- The wretched refuse of your teeming shore . . . -->

2. Worthless; paltry; very poor or mean; miserable; as, a wretched poem; a wretched cabin .

3. Hatefully contemptible; despicable; wicked. [Obs.] " Wretched ungratefulness."

Sir P. Sidney.

Nero reigned after this Claudius, of all men wretchedest , ready to all manner [of] vices. Capgrave.

Wretchedly <Xpage=1668>

Wretch"ed*ly , adv. In a wretched manner; miserably; despicable.

Wretchedness <Xpage=1668>

Wretch"ed*ness , n. 1. The quality or state of being wretched; utter misery.

Sir W. Raleigh.

2. A wretched object; anything despicably. [Obs.]

Eat worms and such wretchedness . Chaucer.

Wretchful <Xpage=1668>

Wretch"ful (?) , a. Wretched. [Obs.]

Wyclif.

Wretchless <Xpage=1668>

Wretch"less , a. [See Reckless .] Reckless; hence, disregarded. [Obs.] -- Wretch"less*ly , adv. [Obs.] -- Wretch"less*ness , n. [Obs.]

Bk. of Com. Prayer.

Your deaf ears should listen Unto the wretchless clamors of the poor. J. Webster.

Wrey <Xpage=1668>

Wrey (?) , v. t. See Wray . [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Wrie <Xpage=1668>

Wrie (?) , a. & v. See Wry . [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Wrig <Xpage=1668>

Wrig (?) , v. i. To wriggle. [Obs.]

Skelton.

Wriggle <Xpage=1668>

Wrig"gle (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Wriggled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Wriggling (?) .] [Freq. of wrig , probably from OE. wrikken to move to and fro; cf. LG. wriggeln , D. wrikken , Sw. vricka , Dan. vrikke .] To move the body to and fro with short, writhing motions, like a worm; to squirm; to twist uneasily or quickly about.

Both he and successors would often wriggle in their seats, as long as the cushion lasted. Swift.

Wriggle <Xpage=1668>

Wrig"gle , v. t. To move with short, quick contortions; to move by twisting and squirming; like a worm.

Covetousness will wriggle itself out at a small hole. Fuller.

Wriggling his body to recover His seat, and cast his right leg over. Hudibras.

Wriggle <Xpage=1668>

Wrig"gle , a. Wriggling; frisky; pliant; flexible. [Obs.] "Their wriggle tails."

Spenser.

<page="1669"> Page 1669

Wriggler <Xpage=1669>

Wrig"gler (?) , n. One who, or that which, wriggles.

Cowper.

Wright <Xpage=1669>

Wright (?) , n. [OE. wrighte , writhe , AS. wyrtha , fr. wyrcean to work. &root;145. See Work .] One who is engaged in a mechanical or manufacturing business; an artificer; a workman; a manufacturer; a mechanic; esp., a worker in wood; -- now chiefly used in compounds, as in mill wright , wheel wright , etc.

He was a well good wright , a carpenter. Chaucer.

Wrightine <Xpage=1669>

Wright"ine (?) , n. (Chem.) A rare alkaloid found in the bark of an East Indian apocynaceous tree ( Wrightia antidysenterica ), and extracted as a bitter white crystalline substance. It was formerly used as a remedy for diarrh&oe;a. Called also conessine , and neriine .

Wring <Xpage=1669>

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\'84nga 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 <Xpage=1669>

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 <Xpage=1669>

Wring , n. A writhing, as in anguish; a twisting; a griping. [Obs.]

Bp. Hall.

Wringbolt <Xpage=1669>

Wring"bolt` , n. (Shipbuilding) A bolt used by shipwrights, to bend and secure the planks against the timbers till they are fastened by bolts, spikes, or treenails; -- not to be confounded with ringbolt .

Wringer <Xpage=1669>

Wring"er (?) , n. 1. One who, or that which, wrings; hence, an extortioner.

2. A machine for pressing water out of anything, particularly from clothes after they have been washed.

Wringing <Xpage=1669>

Wring"ing , a. & n. from Wring , v.

Wringing machine , a wringer. See Wringer , 2.

Wringstaff <Xpage=1669>

Wring"staff` (?) , n. ; pl. Wringstaves (<?/) . (Shipbuilding) A strong piece of plank used in applying wringbolts.

Wrinkle <Xpage=1669>

Wrin"kle (?) , n. A winkle. [Local, U.S.]

Wrinkle <Xpage=1669>

Wrin"kle , n. [OE. wrinkil , AS. wrincle ; akin to OD. wrinckel , and prob. to Dan. rynke , Sw. rynka , Icel. hrukka , OHG. runza , G. runzel , L. ruga . <?/<?/<?/<?/.]

1. A small ridge, prominence, or furrow formed by the shrinking or contraction of any smooth substance; a corrugation; a crease; a slight fold; as, wrinkle in the skin; a wrinkle in cloth. "The wrinkles in my brows."

Shak.

Within I do not find wrinkles and used heart, but unspent youth. Emerson.

2. hence, any roughness; unevenness.

Not the least wrinkle to deform the sky. Dryden.

3. [Perhaps a different word, and a dim. AS. wrenc a twisting, deceit. Cf. Wrench , n. ] A notion or fancy; a whim; as, to have a new wrinkle . [Colloq.]

Wrinkle <Xpage=1669>

Wrin"kle , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wrinkled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Wrinkling (?) .]

1. To contract into furrows and prominences; to make a wrinkle or wrinkles in; to corrugate; as, wrinkle the skin or the brow . "Sport that wrinkled Care derides."

Milton.

Her wrinkled form in black and white arrayed. Pope.

2. Hence, to make rough or uneven in any way.

A keen north wind that, blowing dry, Wrinkled the face of deluge, as decayed. Milton.

Then danced we on the wrinkled sand. Bryant.

To wrinkle at , to sneer at. [Obs.]

Marston.

Wrinkle <Xpage=1669>

Wrin"kle , v. i. To shrink into furrows and ridges.

Wrinkly <Xpage=1669>

Wrin"kly (?) , a. Full of wrinkles; having a tendency to be wrinkled; corrugated; puckered.

G. Eliot.

His old wrinkly face grew quite blown out at last. Carlyle.

Wrist <Xpage=1669>

Wrist (?) , n. [OE. wriste , wrist , AS. wrist ; akin to OFries. wriust , LG. wrist , G. rist wrist, instep, Icel. rist instep, Dan. & Sw. vrist , and perhaps to E. writhe .]

1. (Anat.) The joint, or the region of the joint, between the hand and the arm; the carpus. See Carpus .

He took me by the wrist , and held me hard. Shak.

2. (Mach.) A stud or pin which forms a journal; -- also called wrist pin .

Bridle wrist , the wrist of the left hand, in which a horseman holds the bridle. -- Wrist clonus . [NL. clonus , fr. Gr. <?/. See Clonic .] (Med.) A series of quickly alternating movements of flexion and extension of the wrist, produced in some cases of nervous disease by suddenly bending the hand back upon the forearm. -- Wrist drop (Med.) , paralysis of the extensor muscles of the hand, affecting the hand so that when an attempt is made to hold it out in line with the forearm with the palm down, the hand drops. It is chiefly due to plumbism. Called also hand drop . -- Wrist plate (Steam Engine) , a swinging plate bearing two or more wrists, for operating the valves.

Wristband <Xpage=1669>

Wrist"band (?) , n. The band of the sleeve of a shirt, or other garment, which covers the wrist.

Wrister <Xpage=1669>

Wrist"er (?) , n. A covering for the wrist.

Wristlet <Xpage=1669>

Wrist"let (?) , n. An elastic band worn around the wrist, as for the purpose of securing the upper part of a glove.

Writ <Xpage=1669>

Writ (?) , obs. 3d pers. sing. pres. of Write , for writeth .

Chaucer.

Writ <Xpage=1669>

Writ , archaic imp. & p. p. of Write .

Dryden.

Writ <Xpage=1669>

Writ , n. [AS. writ , ge writ . See Write .]

1. That which is written; writing; scripture; -- applied especially to the Scriptures, or the books of the Old and New testaments; as, sacred writ . "Though in Holy Writ not named."

Milton.

Then to his hands that writ he did betake, Which he disclosing read, thus as the paper spake. Spenser.

Babylon, so much spoken of in Holy Writ . Knolles.