wrench

Etymology 1

From Middle English wrench, from Old English wrenċ, from Proto-Germanic *wrankiz (“a turning, twisting”). Compare German Rank (“plot, intrigue”).

noun

1. A movement that twists or pulls violently; a tug.
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. (US) A hand tool for making rotational adjustments, such as fitting nuts and bolts, or fitting pipes; a spanner.
10. (UK) An adjustable spanner used by plumbers.
11. A violent emotional change caused by separation.
12. (physics) 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
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.

Etymology 2

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

verb

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 be hurt or distressed.
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. (transitive, obsolete) To tighten with or as if with a winch.
9. (transitive, obsolete) To thrust a weapon in a twisting motion.
10. (intransitive, fencing, obsolete) To disarm an opponent by whirling his or her blade away.