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| wrench [ rench ] |
verb (past and past participle wrenched, present participle wrench·ing, 3rd person present singular wrench·es) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb pull and twist something away: to pull something away forcefully, often using a twisting movement
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2. transitive verb injure something by twisting: to injure part of the body by twisting it suddenly and forcibly
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3. intransitive verb move with twisting movement: to move with a forceful twisting movement
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4. transitive verb distress somebody: to make somebody feel very sad or distressed
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5. transitive verb skew meaning or function: to distort something in order to make it mean or appear to be something different
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noun (plural wrench·es) |
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| Definition: |
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1. home maintenance tool used to grasp and turn: a hand or power tool with fixed or movable jaws, used to seize, turn, or twist objects such as nuts and bolts
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2. sprain caused by twisting: a sprain caused by a sudden forceful twisting movement of a part of the body
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3. forceful twisting pull: a forceful twisting pull at something, especially to free it
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4. surge of emotion: a sudden surge of emotion such as pity or empathy
  the wrench we felt when viewing film footage of the flood's devastation
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5. sadness and loss on parting: a difficult parting from a person or place, or the feelings of sadness and loss that accompany such a parting
Leaving New York was a terrible wrench after having lived there for 30 years.
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| [ Old English wrencan< Indo-European, "to turn"] |
