WRENCH


Meaning of WRENCH in English

/ rentʃ; NAmE / verb , noun

■ verb

1.

to pull or twist sth / sb/yourself suddenly and violently

SYN jerk :

[ vn , usually + adv. / prep. ]

The bag was wrenched from her grasp.

He grabbed Ben, wrenching him away from his mother.

( figurative )

Guy wrenched his mind back to the present.

[ vn - adj ]

They wrenched the door open.

She managed to wrench herself free.

[also v ]

2.

[ vn ] to twist and injure a part of your body, especially your ankle or shoulder

SYN twist :

She wrenched her knee when she fell.

3.

wrench sth (from sb) | wrench (at) sth ( formal ) to make sb feel great pain or unhappiness, especially so that they make a sound or cry :

[ vn ]

His words wrenched a sob from her.

[ v ]

Her words wrenched at my heart.

a wrenching experience

—see also gut-wrenching

■ noun

1.

( especially NAmE ) ( BrE usually span·ner ) [ C ] a metal tool with a specially shaped end for holding and turning things, including one which can be adjusted to fit objects of different sizes, also called a monkey wrench or an adjustable spanner

2.

[ sing. ] pain or unhappiness that you feel when you have to leave a person or place that you love :

Leaving home was a terrible wrench for me.

3.

[ C , usually sing. ] a sudden and violent twist or pull :

She stumbled and gave her ankle a painful wrench.

IDIOMS

- throw a wrench in / into sth

••

WORD ORIGIN

late Old English wrencan twist , of unknown origin.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.