[f. as prec. + -ING1.]
1. The action of twisting, or turning awry; the fact of being wrested. Also with off.
1398. [see WRENCHING vbl. sb. 1].
1548. Elyot, Torsio,… a writhyng, a wrestyng.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 367. Branches which will not easily breake with wresting or playing.
a. 1600[?]. Montgomerie’s Cherrie & Slae, 276 (Laing MS.). Ane fysche fanggit in þe net,… With wreisting and thrysting, The faster stykis scho.
a. 1610. Healey, Epictetus (1636), 79. In thy walkes thou hast a care to avoide … the wresting of thy feete.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Distorsion,… a wresting or wringing several Ways.
1730. Bailey (fol.), Sprain,… a violent Contorsion or Wresting of the Tendons of the Muscles.
1892. Zangwill, Bow Mystery, x. 135. Never dreaming the wresting off [sc. of a staple] had been done beforehand.
transf. 1632. Lithgow, Trav., X. 480. The wresting of the Inquisition vpon me.
† b. Adjustment of the strings of a musical instrument by tightening with a wrest; tuning in this way. Also in fig. context. Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 341. Many men failen in þis wrastyng [of a harp] & in goostly syngyng aftur.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 533/2. Wrestynge, plectura, plexura.
c. 1500. Proverbis, in Antiq. Rep. (1809), IV. 497. A slac strynge in a Virgynall … dothe abyde no wrestinge, it is so louse and light.
1530. Rastell, Bk. Purgat., II. xviii. e 1 b. A harper … occupyed about ye wrastynge of his harpe strynges.
1579. W. Wilkinson, Confut. Fam. Love, 26 b. When he … with writhyng and wrestyng had brought his heresie into tune.
1627. Hakewill, Apol., II. i. § 4. The wresting of a string too high marres the musick.
c. fig. The action of taking away or obtaining by force; exaction; extortion.
1611. Cotgr., Extorsion,… a violent wringing, or wresting of things from others.
1694. trans. Milton’s Lett. State, Wks. 1851, VIII. 339. The wresting of the Kingdom of Poland from Papal Subjection.
1721. Bailey, Extortion, an unlawful and violent wresting of Money, &c. from any Man.
1853. Kingsley, Misc. (1859), I. 289. His wresting from her the secret which had been locked for ages in the ice caves.
† d. With in: (see WREST v. 1 c). Obs.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 124. The vnpleasantnesse of it commeth of the wresting in of the point.
2. Perversion, distortion or deflection of the meaning, interpretation or application; misinterpretation; an instance of this.
c. 1444. Pecock, Donet, 140. Prechers ben woned to wrynge oute of a worde alle maters whiche to hem liken, bi wrasting of sillablis and of lettris. Ibid., 142.
1550. Bale, Eng. Votaries, II. 66. Blasphemouse bablynges and abhomynable wrastynges of the scriptures.
1579. Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 473. He hath nothing that may not bee reasonably construed on our side without any wresting.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xxix. 528. It were an vtter wresting of the Text, to conuey it any other way.
1610. Healey, Theophrastus (1636), 4. A wresting of actions and wordes to the worse or sadder part.
1641. Milton, Reform., I. Wks. 1851, III. 19. The ridiculous wresting of Scripture.
1690. Locke, Govt., II. iii. § 20. A manifest perverting of Justice, and a barefac’d wresting of the Laws.
1711. Atterbury, Serm. (1734), I. 267. Expressions … so bright and clear, as should prevent all possible Wrestings and Misconstructions.
a. 1774. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1777), III. II. 61. Aiming to find out such a sense of them [sc. principles of human reason], without violence or wresting, as may coincide or prove reconcileable therewith.
1864. Pusey, Lect. Daniel, i. (1876), 5. If a prophecy … admitted of no wresting.
† 3. The action of contending or struggling; an instance of this. Obs.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 180. Be lowly not sollen, if ought go amisse, What wresting may loose thee, that winne with a kisse.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 355. Their dayly exercise then was a continuall wresting agaynst the world, and the Devill.
1613–8. Daniel, Coll. Hist. Eng. (1626), 140. Discontentment still goes on, and neither side get any thing but by hard wrestings.
† 4. Griping or wringing pain. Obs.–1
1546. Phaër, Regim. Life, 59. In suche a disease, the glystre muste be greate in quantitie, or els ye shulde make wreslynge & roumblynge in ye bellye.
5. Comb., as † wresting-vice, stick, one suitable for or used in wresting or twisting; wresting thread, Shetland dial., a thread wound or tied round a sprained or injured limb as a charm to effect a cure.
1568. W. Skinner, trans. Montanus Inquis. (1569), 26 b. Hys armes … are bound with very stiffe and small cordes … which afterwards they straine with certaine stiffe wresting stickes or troncheons.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., 9. The hangman prepared both hookes and wresting-vices.
!-- 2 -->1616. [see WREST sb. 1 d].
1840. New Statist. Acc. (1845), XV. 141. The ‘wresting thread’ … is a thread spun from black wool, on which are cast nine knots, and tied round a sprained leg or arm.
1883. R. M. Fergusson, Rambling Sk. Far North, 122. When a person received a sprain the Wrestin Thread was cast.
