— wrester , n.
/rest/ , v.t.
1. to twist or turn; pull, jerk, or force by a violent twist.
2. to take away by force: to wrest a knife from a child.
3. to get by effort: to wrest a living from the soil.
4. to twist or turn from the proper course, application, use, meaning, or the like; wrench.
n.
5. a wresting; twist or wrench.
6. a key or small wrench for tuning stringed musical instruments, as the harp or piano, by turning the pins to which the strings are fastened.
[ bef. 1000; (v.) ME wresten, OE wraestan; c. ON reista; akin to WRIST; (n.) ME: a wresting, deriv. of the v. ]
Syn. 1, 3. wring. 3. See extract .