GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 2 definitions

1.       
   Wrest , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wrested; p. pr. & vb. n. Wresting.] [OE. wresten, AS. wrstan; akin to wr a twisted band, and wrīn to twist. See Writhe.]
   1913 Webster
   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.
   
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   Our country's cause,
   That drew our swords, now secret wrests them from our hand.
   Addison.
   
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   They instantly wrested the government out of the hands of Hastings.
   Macaulay.
   
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   To turn from truth; to twist from its natural or proper use or meaning by violence; to pervert; to distort.
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   Wrest once the law to your authority.
   Shak.
   
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   Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor.
   Ex. xxiii. 6.
   
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   Their arts of wresting, corrupting, and false interpreting the holy text.
   South.
   
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   To tune with a wrest, or key. [Obs.]
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2.       
   Wrest, n.
   The act of wresting; a wrench; a violent twist; hence, distortion; perversion.
   Hooker.
   
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   Active or moving power. [Obs.]
   Spenser.
   
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   A key to tune a stringed instrument of music.
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   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.
   
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   A partition in a water wheel, by which the form of the buckets is determined.
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   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.
   1913 Webster