wrench

verb

/rentʃ/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they wrench	/rentʃ/ /rentʃ/
he / she / it wrenches	/ˈrentʃɪz/ /ˈrentʃɪz/
past simple wrenched	/rentʃt/ /rentʃt/
past participle wrenched	/rentʃt/ /rentʃt/
-ing form wrenching	/ˈrentʃɪŋ/ /ˈrentʃɪŋ/

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[transitive, intransitive] to pull or twist something/somebody/yourself suddenly and violently synonym jerk
- wrench (something/somebody/yourself) + 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.
- wrench (something/somebody/yourself) + adj. They wrenched the door open.
- She managed to wrench herself free.
Extra Examples
- He wrenched the handbag from her grasp.
- She tried to wrench her arm away.
- She wrenched the gun out of his hand.
- She wrenched the lid off the biscuit tin.
- Suddenly, the door was wrenched open.
- The child wrenched himself free.
[transitive] wrench something to twist and injure a part of your body, especially your ankle or shoulder synonym twist
- She wrenched her knee when she fell.
- I slipped and wrenched my ankle quite badly.
Topics Illnessc2
[transitive, intransitive] (formal) to make somebody feel great pain or unhappiness, especially so that they make a sound or cry
- wrench (something) (from somebody) His words wrenched a sob from her.
- a wrenching experience
- wrench at something Her words wrenched at my heart.
see also gut-wrenching

Word Originlate Old English wrencan ‘twist’, of unknown origin.

noun

/rentʃ/

Idioms

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enlarge image
(especially North American English)
(British English usually spanner)
[countable] a metal tool with a special shape at the end for holding and turning things, including one that can be changed to fit objects of different sizes, also called a monkey wrench or an adjustable spanner
[singular] 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.
[countable, usually singular] a sudden and violent twist or pull
- She stumbled and gave her ankle a painful wrench.
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Word Originlate Old English wrencan ‘twist’, of unknown origin.

Idioms

(throw) a (monkey) wrench in/into something (North American English)

(British English (throw) a spanner in the works)