wrest
pronunciation
How to pronounce wrest in British English:
UK [rest]
How to pronounce wrest in American English:
US [rɛst]
-
- Verb:
- obtain by seizing forcibly or violently, also metaphorically
Word Origin
- wrest (v.)
- Old English wræstan "to twist, wrench," from Proto-Germanic *wraistjan (source of Old Norse reista "to bend, twist"), from PIE *wreik- "to turn" (see wry). Meaning "to pull, detach" (something) is recorded from c. 1300. Meaning "to take by force" (in reference to power, authority, etc.) is attested from early 15c. Related: Wrested; wresting.
Example
- 1. Such measures will make it much harder for the opposition to wrest control from fidesz .
- 2. In the late 1980s , landless and increasingly desperate arabs began banding together to wrest their owndarfrom the black farmers .
- 3. Barack obama has opined on it , as have the republicans hoping to wrest the presidency from him in november .
- 4. The military and intelligence service , already embarrassed by the commando raid by u.s. soldiers which killed osama bin laden on pakistani soil without their knowledge , will seek to wrest power away from the civilian government .
- 5. General david petraeus , head of us central command , has warned that " horrific actions " by the taliban will meet the attempt by american , afghan and canadian forces to wrest control of the province .