Dictionary

wrench en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈɹɛnt͡ʃ/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈɹent͡ʃ/ (Australia)
• /ˈɹent͡ʃ/ (New-Zealand)
• (General-American) audio
• [ˈɹʷɪnt͡ʃ] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, Appalachia
• /ˈɾɛnt͡ʃ/ (Scotland, Wales)
• /ˈɹɪnt͡ʃ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, Appalachia
• [ˈɹʷent͡ʃ] ~ [ˈɹʷe̞nt͡ʃ] (Australia)
• [ˈɹʷe̝nt͡ʃ] ~ [ˈɹʷɪnt͡ʃ] (New-Zealand)
• [ˈɹʷɛnt͡ʃ] (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English wrench, from Old English wrenċ, from Proto-Germanic *wrankiz, from Proto-Indo-European *wreng- (“to turn”). Compare German Rank (“plot, intrigue”).

Meanings

1. A movement that twists or pulls violently; a tug.
   • With a wrench, which threw his victim back upon the bed as though hurled from a height, he turned and sprang at us. 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula, Westminster [London]: Archibald Constable and Company, […], →OCLC:
   • It was difficult indeed for Max to disengage himself from the effusive Spinola's affection without a wrench. 1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC:
2. An injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb; strain, sprain.
3. (obsolete) A trick or artifice.
4. (obsolete) Deceit; guile; treachery.
5. (obsolete) A turn at an acute angle.
6. (archaic) A winch or windlass.
7. (obsolete) A screw.
8. A distorting change from the original meaning.
9. (Canada, Philippines, US) A hand tool for making rotational adjustments, such as fitting nuts and bolts, or fitting pipes.
10. (UK) An adjustable spanner used by plumbers.
11. A violent emotional change caused by separation.
12. In screw theory, a screw assembled from force and torque vectors arising from application of Newton's laws to a rigid body.
13. (obsolete) means; contrivance
    • But weighing one thing with another he gave Britain for lost; but resolved to make his profit of this business of Britain, as a quarrel for war; and that of Naples, as a wrench and mean for peace 1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret, →OCLC:
14. In coursing, the act of bringing the hare round at less than a right angle, worth half a point in the recognised code of points for judging.

Forms

Deriveds

bicycle wrench · wrench fault · nipple wrench · wrenchman · hex head wrench · monkeywrench · spanner wrench · wrench in the works · wrench react · throw a monkey wrench into the works · spoke wrench · crescent wrench · screw wrench · flare nut wrench · wrench hammer · throw a wrench in · pipe wrench · tension wrench · monkey wrench · nut wrench · Allen wrench · throw a monkey wrench in the works · torsion wrench · throw a wrench into the works · throw a wrench in the gears · Crescent wrench · ratchet wrench · bed wrench · socket wrench · throw a wrench in the works · tube wrench · hook wrench · Stillson wrench · flare-nut wrench · monkey-wrench · torque wrench · ring wrench · spider wrench · key wrench · smoke wrench · adjustable wrench · dog bone wrench · alligator wrench · tuning wrench · plumber wrench · Swedish wrench

Synonyms

spanner

Translations (115)

es llave inglesa (hand tool) · bg измама (deceit; guile; treachery) · an arrancar (violent twisting movement) · fr clé (hand tool) · de Ruck (violent twisting movement) · fo skiftilykil (hand tool) · nl verdriet (violent emotional change caused by separation) · mi wāwāhi (hand tool) · mk исчашу́вање (violent twisting movement) · tl birador (hand tool) · ba асҡыс (hand tool) · it strattone (violent twisting movement) · hu ficamítás (violent twisting movement) · fi vääntö (violent twisting movement) · bg френски ключ (hand tool) · pdt Schlätel (hand tool) · nl ruk (violent twisting movement) · gd snìomh (violent twisting movement) · fi jakoavain (hand tool) · sv försträckning (injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb) · lv atslēga (hand tool) · hu ficam (injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb) · it chiave inglese (hand tool) · mi huriperu (hand tool) · it strazio (violent emotional change caused by separation) · fr clef (hand tool) · fi vinssi (winch or windlass) · nl schroefsleutel (hand tool) · hu villáskulcs (hand tool) · ru клю́ч (hand tool) · sv vridning (violent twisting movement) · sv skiftnyckel (hand tool) · bg похват (trick or artifice) · sv sträckning (injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb) · pt chave de boca (hand tool) · uk гайкови́й ключ (hand tool) · fi nyrjähdys (injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb) · hu rándítás (violent twisting movement) · tr burma (violent twisting movement) · hu csavarkulcs (hand tool) · mk извитку́вање (violent twisting movement) · fi kiintoavain (hand tool) · cmn 扳手 (hand tool) · it spinta (violent twisting movement) · de Stich ins Herz (violent emotional change caused by separation) · ko 첼라 (hand tool) · nl sleutel (hand tool) · it chiave piatta (hand tool) · fi temppu (trick or artifice) · pt chave inglesa (hand tool) · it chiave (hand tool) · es llave de tuerca (hand tool) · ja レンチ (hand tool) · cmn 扳子 (hand tool) · it dolore (violent emotional change caused by separation) · da skiftenøgle (hand tool) · cs klíč (hand tool) · fr clé de serrage (hand tool) · fr serre-écrou (hand tool) · it slogatura (violent twisting movement) · sv hårt slag (violent emotional change caused by separation) · pt sacalão (violent twisting movement) · eo tordo (violent twisting movement) · no skiftenøkkel (hand tool) · sv stukning (injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb) · tr burku (violent twisting movement) · fr clef à écrous (hand tool) · ko 뒤틀기 (violent twisting movement) · sv smärta (violent emotional change caused by separation) · es tirón (violent twisting movement) · tr burum (violent twisting movement) · nl Engelse sleutel (hand tool) · it strappo (violent twisting movement) · da svensknøgle (hand tool) · es llave (hand tool) · ar مِفْتَاحُ رَبْط (hand tool) · fi petkutus (deceit; guile; treachery) · de Schlüssel (hand tool) · ko 비틀기 (violent twisting movement) · id kunci inggris (hand tool) · fi petos (deceit; guile; treachery) · bg навяхване (injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb) · eo ŝraŭbŝlosilo (hand tool) · hu franciakulcs (hand tool) · tr burku (injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb) · ru га́ечный клю́ч (hand tool) · km ការមួល (hand tool) · sv bändning (violent twisting movement) · hu rántás (violent twisting movement) · mk клуч (hand tool) · id kungris (hand tool) · th ประแจ (hand tool) · de Abschiedsschmerz (violent emotional change caused by separation) · it storta (violent twisting movement) · sv ledvrickning (injury caused by a violent twisting or pulling of a limb) · bg остър завой (turn at an acute angle) · ja スパナ (hand tool) · ko 워터펌프플라이어 (hand tool) · ro răsucire (violent twisting movement) · fo skrúvulykil (hand tool) · fi keino (means, contrivance) · bg извиване (violent twisting movement) · ga sníomh (violent twisting movement) · de Schraubenschlüssel (hand tool) · fi huijaus (deceit; guile; treachery) · nl moeilijk afscheid (violent emotional change caused by separation) · ru разводно́й клю́ч (hand tool) · it serradadi (hand tool) · mk одвртувач (hand tool) · da skruenøgle (hand tool) · sv ryck (violent twisting movement) · fi vintturi (winch or windlass) · nl moersleutel (hand tool) · bg дръпване (violent twisting movement) · ro cheie fixă (hand tool)

wikidata: Q154411

wrench en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈɹɛnt͡ʃ/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈɹent͡ʃ/ (Australia)
• /ˈɹent͡ʃ/ (New-Zealand)
• (General-American) audio
• [ˈɹʷɪnt͡ʃ] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, Appalachia
• /ˈɾɛnt͡ʃ/ (Scotland, Wales)
• /ˈɹɪnt͡ʃ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, Appalachia
• [ˈɹʷent͡ʃ] ~ [ˈɹʷe̞nt͡ʃ] (Australia)
• [ˈɹʷe̝nt͡ʃ] ~ [ˈɹʷɪnt͡ʃ] (New-Zealand)
• [ˈɹʷɛnt͡ʃ] (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English wrenchen, from Old English wrenċan, from Proto-West Germanic *wrankijan, from Proto-Germanic *wrankijaną. Compare German renken.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To pull or twist violently.
   • With a surge of adrenaline, she wrenched the car door off and pulled out the injured man.
2. (transitive) To injure (a joint) by pulling or twisting.
   • Be careful not to wrench your ankle walking along those loose stones!
3. (transitive) To distort the original meaning of; to misrepresent.
4. (transitive) To rack with pain; to make hurt or distressed.
   • And what actinic, mind-wrenching form could the countermeme take? How could human hands assemble something so devastatingly powerful and hold it steady; what human mind could wield it without exploding from the inside out? 2019 December 9, qntm, “Wild Light”, in There Is No Antimemetics Division, →ISBN, page 191:
5. (transitive) To deprive by means of a violent pull or twist.
6. (transitive) To use a wrench; to twist with a wrench.
   • The plumber wrenched the pipes until they came loose.
7. (intransitive, obsolete) To violently move in a turn or writhe.
8. (obsolete, transitive) To tighten with or as if with a winch.
   • [S]end me that hag hither; she shall avouch what it was that she hath given to the wretch Dryfesdale, or the pilniewinks and thumbikins shall wrench it out of her finger-joints. 1820, [Walter Scott], chapter V, in The Abbot. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, pages 173–174:
9. (obsolete, transitive) To thrust (a weapon) in a twisting motion.
10. (intransitive, obsolete) To disarm an opponent by whirling their blade away.

Forms

Translations (55)

mi raukeke (to pull or twist) · ru вывёртывать (to use a wrench) · tr burmak (to sprain a joint) · it slogare (to sprain a joint) · ga sníomh (to pull or twist) · fi tempaista (to pull or twist) · fi riuhtaista (to pull or twist) · bg извивам (to pull or twist) · ru дёргать (to pull or twist) · ru выкру́чивать (to use a wrench) · ko 비틀다 (to pull or twist) · de verrenken (to sprain a joint) · ru вы́вихнуть (to sprain a joint) · fi tempoa (to pull or twist) · az burxutmaq (to sprain a joint) · grc στρεβλόω (to pull or twist) · ko 뒤틀다 (to pull or twist) · bg навяхвам (to sprain a joint) · da vride (to pull or twist) · hu rándít (to pull or twist) · ro trage (to pull or twist) · pt deslocar (to sprain a joint) · pt torcer (to sprain a joint) · pt arrancar (to pull or twist) · gd snìomh (to pull or twist) · nl los (to use a wrench) · nl verzwikken (to sprain a joint) · it storcere (to pull or twist) · nl verstuiken (to sprain a joint) · ga freang (to pull or twist) · fi kiskoa (to pull or twist) · ru тяну́ть (to pull or twist) · ro invarti (to pull or twist) · mi takoki (to sprain a joint) · mi tanoni (to sprain a joint) · hu rángat (to pull or twist) · hu kificamít (to sprain a joint) · mi tanoi (to sprain a joint) · ru вывёртывать (to pull or twist) · ru вырыва́ть (to pull or twist) · it torcere (to pull or twist) · nl afbreken (to pull or twist) · hu ránt (to pull or twist) · wyi koorrbak (to pull or twist) · fi kiskaista (to pull or twist) · fi riuhtoa (to pull or twist) · nl vastdraaien (to use a wrench) · fr arracher (to pull or twist) · grc στρεβλόω (to sprain a joint) · nl loswringen (to pull or twist) · mi pakoki (to sprain a joint) · de drehen (to pull or twist) · tr burmak (to pull or twist) · nl omslaan (to sprain a joint) · fi nyrjäyttää (to sprain a joint)