English Explanatory Dictionary

wrench

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A movement that twists or pulls violently; a tug.
  2. An injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb; strain, sprain.
  3. A trick or artifice.
  4. Deceit; guile; treachery.
  5. A turn at an acute angle.
  6. A winch or windlass.
  7. A screw.
  8. A distorting change from the original meaning.
  9. A hand tool for making rotational adjustments, such as fitting nuts and bolts, or fitting pipes.
  10. An adjustable spanner used by plumbers.
  11. A violent emotional change caused by separation.
  12. In screw theory, a screw assembled from force and torque vectors arising from application of Newton's laws to a rigid body.
verb
  1. To pull or twist violently.
  2. To injure (a joint) by pulling or twisting.
  3. To distort the original meaning of; to misrepresent.
  4. To rack with pain; to make hurt or distressed.
  5. To deprive by means of a violent pull or twist.
  6. To use a wrench; to twist with a wrench.
  7. To violently move in a turn or writhe.
  8. To tighten with or as if with a winch.
  9. To thrust (a weapon) in a twisting motion.
  10. To disarm an opponent by whirling their blade away.
name
  1. A surname transferred from the nickname.

Pronunciation

rĕnch /ˈɹɛnt͡ʃ/ En-us-wrench.ogg /ˈɹɪ̟nt͡ʃ/

Word forms

wrench wrenches wrenche wrinche wringe wrenching wrenched

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”).

Synonyms

spanner

Derived words

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 wrench fault wrench hammer wrench in the works wrenchman
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