writhe
Audio Help [rahyth] Pronunciation Key verb, writhed, writh·ing, noun
Audio Help [rahyth] Pronunciation Key verb, writhed, writh·ing, noun –verb (used without object)
–verb (used with object)
–noun
| 1. | to twist the body about, or squirm, as in pain, violent effort, etc. |
| 2. | to shrink mentally, as in acute discomfort. |
| 3. | to twist or bend out of shape or position; distort; contort. |
| 4. | to twist (oneself, the body, etc.) about, as in pain. |
| 5. | a writhing movement; a twisting of the body, as in pain. |
| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
writhe
To learn more about writhe visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
| writhe
Audio Help (rīth) Pronunciation Key
v. writhed, writh·ing, writhes v. intr.
v. tr. To cause to twist or squirm; contort. n. The act or an instance of writhing; a contortion. [Middle English writhen, from Old English wrīthan; see wer-2 in Indo-European roots.] writh'er n. |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
writhe
O.E. wriðan "to twist or bend," earlier "to bind or fetter," from P.Gmc. *writhanan (cf. N.Fris. wrial, O.H.G. ridan, O.N. riða, M.Swed. vriþa, M.Da. vride), from PIE *wreit- "to turn, bend" (see wreath).
| Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper |
| writhe | |
verb | |
| to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling); "The prisoner writhed in discomfort"; "The child tried to wriggle free from his aunt's embrace" |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
writhe [raið] verb
to twist violently to and fro, especially in pain or discomfort
Example: to writhe in agony; She writhed about when I tickled her.
Example: to writhe in agony; She writhed about when I tickled her.
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| Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd. |
Writhe
Wreath\ (?; 277), n.; pl. Wreaths. [OE. wrethe, AS. wr[=ae][eth] a twisted band, fr. wr[=i][eth]an to twist. See Writhe.]1. Something twisted, intertwined, or curled; as, a wreath of smoke; a wreath of flowers. "A wrethe of gold." --Chaucer. [He] of his tortuous train Curled many a wanton wreath. --Milton. 2. A garland; a chaplet, esp. one given to a victor. Conquest doth grant He dear wreath to the Grecian combatant. --Chapman. Far back in the ages, The plow with wreaths was crowned. --Bryant. 3. (Her.) An appendage to the shield, placed above it, and supporting the crest (see Illust. of Crest). It generally represents a twist of two cords of silk, one tinctured like the principal metal, the other like the principal color in the arms.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
Writhe
Wrest\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wrested; p. pr. & vb. n. Wresting.] [OE. wresten, AS. wr?stan; akin to wr?? a twisted band, and wr[=i]?n to twist. See Writhe.]1. To turn; to twist; esp., to twist or extort by violence; to pull of force away by, or as if by, violent wringing or twisting. "The secret wrested from me." --Milton. Our country's cause, That drew our swords, now secret wrests them from our hand. --Addison. They instantly wrested the government out of the hands of Hastings. --Macaulay. 2. To turn from truth; to twist from its natural or proper use or meaning by violence; to pervert; to distort. Wrest once the law to your authority. --Shak. Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor. --Ex. xxiii. 6. Their arts of wresting, corrupting, and false interpreting the holy text. --South. 3. To tune with a wrest, or key. [Obs.]| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
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