wrangle

Etymology

The verb is derived from Middle English wranglen, wrangle (“to contend with (someone) in a test of strength; (figuratively) to make misleading arguments to entrap”); from a Middle Dutch or Middle Low German word related to Middle Dutch wrangen and Middle Low German wrangen (“to cause an uproar; to struggle, wrestle”) (whence Low German wrangeln (“to wrangle”)), related to Middle Dutch wringen (“to twist; to wrest; to wring; to struggle, wrestle”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *wringaną (“to squeeze; to twist; to wring”). The noun is derived from the verb. cognates * Danish vringle (“to twist, entangle”) * German rangeln (“to wrestle”)

verb

1. (transitive)
   1. To convince or influence (someone) by arguing or contending.
   2. Followed by out of: to elicit (something) from a person by arguing or bargaining.
   3. (archaic, rare)
      1. To speak or write (something) in an argumentative or contentious manner.
      2. To spend (time) arguing or quarrelling.
   4. (Western US) To herd (horses or other livestock).
      1. (by extension, humorous) To manage or supervise (people).
         Wrangling a chaotic group of five-year-olds is unnerving enough without the added stress of a famous NHLer Brian Gionta] in the room helping lace his son’s skates. 3 October 2010, Sean Gordon, “Gionta settles in, stands out”, in The Globe and Mail, Toronto, Ont.: The Globe and Mail Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2021-06-15
      2. (figurative) To gather and organize (data, facts, information, etc.), especially in a way which requires sentience rather than automated methods alone, as in data wrangling.
   5. (obsolete)
      1. Followed by out of: to compel or drive (someone or something) away through arguing.
      2. Followed by out: to put forward arguments on (a case, a matter disagreed upon, etc.).
      3. (reflexive) To cause (oneself) grief through arguing or quarrelling.
         When we have wrangled ourselves as long as our wits and strengths will serve us, the honest, downright sober English Protestant will be found, in the end, the man in the safest way, and by the surest line: […] 1649 April 20 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Robert Sanderson, “[Appendix, No. 5.] Letter I. Dr. Sanderson to N. N., Respecting the Relative Merits of the Presbyterians and the Independents”, in George D’Oyly, The Life of William Sancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury,[…], volume II, London: John Murray,[…], published 1821, →OCLC, page 442
2. (intransitive)
   1. (also figurative) To quarrel angrily and noisily; to bicker.
      [A]fter his old manner, he wrangleth and quarrelleth. 1574, John Whitgift, “Of Matters Touching Baptism. Tract XVI. [Of the Parties that are to be Baptised. Chapter iv. The First Division.]”, in John Ayre, editor, The Works of John Whitgift, D.D. […] The Third Portion, Containing the Defence of the Answer to the Admonition, against the Reply of Thomas Cartwright: Tractates XI–XXIII. Sermons, Selected Letters, &c., Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] University Press, published 1853, →OCLC, page 134
      There vvas a contention of vvordes betvvixt you & your father erevvhile. Thou vvert at vvords, or vvrangledſt vvith him right novv. 1607, Terence, “Andria”, in R[ichard] B[ernard], transl., Terence in English. Fabulæ Comici Facetissimi et Elegantissimi Poetæ Terentii Omnes Anglicæ Factæ,[…], 2nd edition, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Iohannis Legat, →OCLC, act IV, scene i, page 71
      [H]ee cavelleth or vvrangleth not vvith any in this kind: therefore you are a lying fellovv. 1619, Two Wise Men and All the Rest Fooles: Or A Comicall Morall, Censuring the Follies of this Age,[…], [London: s.n.], →OCLC, act I, scene i, page 10
      Then this person influenced by desire, on account of his ever-increasing anger and sense of self-importance, wrangleth with others in order to bring destruction down upon himself. 1896, [Vyasa], chapter XXXI, in [anonymous], transl., edited by Manmatha Nath Dutt, A Prose English Translation of Srimadbhagavatam, book I, Calcutta, West Bengal: […] H. C. Dass,[…], →OCLC, page 150
      I stood where land and sea wrangled ferociously over the overlap. 1941, Emily Carr, “Salt Water”, in Klee Wyck, centennial edition, Toronto, Ont., Vancouver, B.C.: Clarke, Irwin & Company, published 1971, page 83
   2. To make harsh noises as if quarrelling.
   3. (generally, also figurative) To argue, to debate; also (dated), to debate or discuss publicly, especially about a thesis at a university.
      Forſoothe, that vvhen he had concluded that vve muſt no liue by examples, but by lavves, he might make ſimple ſoules beleaue, that they ought not follovve the exãples of their holy forefathers, in bleſsing them ſelues, but to haue the name of the lavve in their mouthes and do nothing leſſe thã that the lavve biddeth them to doe. And to bring that to paſſe ſee hovve he vvrangleth. 1566, Iohn Martiall [i.e., John Marshall], “That the Apostles and Fathers of the Primitive Churche Blessed Them Selves, &c. The Fifth Article.”, in A Replie to M. Calfhills Blasphemous Answer Made against the Treatise of the Crosse,[…], Louvain: […] Iohn Bogard[…], →OCLC; reprinted as D[avid] M[cGregor] Rogers, editor, A Replie to M. Calfhills Blasphemous Answer 1566 (English Recusant Literature 1558–1640; 203), Ilkley, Yorkshire, London: The Scolar Press, 1974, folio 145, recto

noun

1. (countable) An angry dispute; a noisy quarrel; an altercation.
   For many people this is an astonishing moment of hope, a moment they thought would never come. And there are many of course who feel a sense of anxiety and loss. And then of course there is a third group – perhaps the biggest – who had started to worry that the whole political wrangle would never come to an end. I understand all those feelings and our job as the government – my job – is to bring this country together now and take us forward. 31 January 2020, Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, quotee, “Brexit: Flag lowered at Senedd as the UK leaves the EU”, in BBC News, published 1 February 2020, archived from the original on 2022-10-13
2. (uncountable) Angry disputation; noisy quarrelling.
   Wrangle and bloodshed followed thence.
3. (obsolete, countable)
   1. A contentious argument or response.
   2. A controversy.