Definitions for: Wring


[n] a twisting squeeze; "gave the wet cloth a wring"
[v] twist and compress, as if in pain or anguish; "Wring one's hand"
[v] twist and press out of shape
[v] twist, squeeze, or compress in order to extract liquid; "wring the towels"
[v] obtain by coercion or intimidation; "They extorted money from the executive by threatening to reveal his past to the company boss"



Webster (1913) Definition: Wring, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wrung, Obs. Wringed; p.
pr. & vb. n. Wringing.] [OE. wringen, AS. wringan; akin to
LG. & D. wringen, OHG. ringan to struggle, G. ringen, Sw.
vr["a]nga to distort, Dan. vringle to twist. Cf. Wrangle,
Wrench, Wrong.]
1. To twist and compress; to turn and strain with violence;
to writhe; to squeeze hard; to pinch; as, to wring clothes
in washing. ``Earnestly wringing Waverley's hand.'' --Sir
W. Scott. ``Wring him by the nose.'' --Shak.

[His steed] so sweat that men might him wring.
--Chaucer.

The king began to find where his shoe did wring him.
--Bacon.

The priest shall bring it [a dove] unto the altar,
and wring off his head. --Lev. i. 15.

2. Hence, to pain; to distress; to torment; to torture.

Too much grieved and wrung by an uneasy and strait
fortune. --Clarendon.

Didst thou taste but half the griefs That wring my
soul, thou couldst not talk thus coldly. --Addison.

3. To distort; to pervert; to wrest.

How dare men thus wring the Scriptures? --Whitgift.

4. To extract or obtain by twisting and compressing; to
squeeze or press (out); hence, to extort; to draw forth by
violence, or against resistance or repugnance; -- usually
with out or form.

Your overkindness doth wring tears from me. --Shak.

He rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the
fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the
fleece. --Judg. vi.
38.

5. To subject to extortion; to afflict, or oppress, in order
to enforce compliance.

To wring the widow from her 'customed right. --Shak.

The merchant adventures have been often wronged and
wringed to the quick. --Hayward.

6. (Naut.) To bend or strain out of its position; as, to
wring a mast.


Wring, v. i.
To writhe; to twist, as with anguish.

'T is all men's office to speak patience To those that
wring under the load of sorrow. --Shak.

Look where the sister of the king of France Sits
wringing of her hands, and beats her breast. --Marlowe.


Wring, n.
A writhing, as in anguish; a twisting; a griping. [Obs.]
--Bp. Hall.

Synonyms: extort, gouge, rack, squeeze, wrench

See Also: bleed, crush, distort, fleece, gazump, hook, mash, morph, motion, movement, overcharge, pluck, plume, rob, soak, squash, squeeze, squeeze out, squelch, surcharge, twine, twist, wring out

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