Wrestle v.

Forms: α. (1 wræstlian), 3 wræstlen, wreastlen, wreastlin, wrestilen, 3–4 wrestlen, 5 -lyn, wrestelon, 4–6 wrestel, wrestil, 5 wrestele, wrestell, -tyll, 5– wrestle (6 wressell). β. 3 wrastlen, 3, 5 wrastelen, 5 wrastel(l)yn, -tlyn, 4–6 wrastel, 4–5 -tele, -til, 5 -till, -tule, -tyl, 6 -tyll(e, -tell, 4– (latterly Sc. or dial.) wrastle (6 wrasle, 8 rassle, 9 dial. wrostle, wros(s)le); 4 wrastli, -tly, 9 s.w. dial. wrastly, wrassly. γ. 4–5 wristele, -tle, wrystille, -tel, 9 dial. wrustle, wrus(s)le, russel. [OE. *wrǽstlian, frequentative of wrǽstan to WREST, represented in the cognate languages by NFris. wrassele, wrûstle, MLG. worstelen, wrostelen, LG. wrösseln, frösseln, MDu. worstelen (also Du.), werstelen, wrastelen. Cf. WARSLE v., WRAXLE v.]

  I.  1. intr. To strive with strength and skill to throw a person to the ground by grappling with him; to endeavor to overpower and lay down another, esp. in a contest governed by fixed rules, by embracing his body and limbs and tripping or overbalancing him. Also with † samen, † yfere, together.

  α.  a. 1100.  [see WRESTLING vbl. sb. 1].

c. 1205.  Lay., 1858. Brutus hine lette witen … to wreastlene bi-foren Brutus, Geomagog and Corineus. Ibid., 24699. Summe heo wræstleden And wiðer-gome makeden.

13[?], c. 1375.  [see β, γ.]

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 533/2. Wrestelon, luctor, palestriso.

1480.  Caxton, Chron. Eng., iv. 14. So to gedre they wrestled longe tyme.

1503.  in Meyrick, Ant. Armour (1824), III. 238. To wrestle all manner of ways, at the pleasure of the commers.

1580.  Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 447. To wrestle in the games of Olympia.

1603.  Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 229. With professours of wrestling, to bestrew his bodie with dust … for to wrestle.

1718.  A. Thompson, trans. Geoffrey of Monm., IV. viii. 107. Two noble Youths … wrestled together, and afterwards had a Dispute about the Victory.

1791.  Cowper, Iliad, XXIII. 915. Arising to a third essay, They should have wrestled yet again.

1811.  Sporting Mag., XXXVIII. 290. A handsome sum of money has been subscribed to be wrestled for.

1889.  W. Armstrong, Wrestling, 183. The platforms at rural fairs where local champions wrestled for a fall.

  β.  a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 318 (MS. Titus D. XVIII). Ich … biheold oðe wrastling, oðer me self wrastlede.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7439. Ac he ouercom þe deuel, & adoun him caste, To gadere as hii wrastlede, & bond is honden vaste.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 3939. Sa lang þai wrasteld [Gött. wrestild, Fairf. wresteled] samen þare Þat iacob was þan hurt wel sare.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 8. Pipen he koude,… and wel wrastle and sheete.

c. 1440.  Alph. Tales, 164. Þus þai wrasteld to-gedyr, & þis man fell.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xiv. 320. He … toke the kynge wyth both his armes by the waste, & wrastled togyder a longe whyle.

1548.  Forrest, Pleas. Poesye, xix. 61 b. To shoote, to wrastle, to dooe anye mannys feate.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., III. x. 86. [They] do wrastle … two and two with force of armes.

1606.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iv. II. Tropheis, 268. Wee wrastle not … For painted sheep-hooks, or such pettie Prize.

1671.  H. M., trans. Erasm. Colloq., 288. I am now a laying in the fourth week; and I am strong enough even to wrastle.

1758.  L. Lyon, in Mil. Jrnls. (1855), 33. [They] hopt and rassled together to see which would beat and our men Beat.

1795.  H. MacNeill, Scotland’s Skaith, ii. Wha wi’ Will cou’d rin or wrastle, Throw the sledge, or toss the bar?

1876–.  in dialect glossaries (Sc., Yks., Lanc., Som.).

1896.  P. Graham, Red Scaur, vi. Learnin’ her son to box … and wrastle.

  γ.  a. 1300.  Cursor M., 3933. Sammen handlinges wristeld [Fairf. wresteled] þai Al þe night, til it was dai.

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 1141. Wrothely þai wrythyne and wrystille to-gederz.

1535.  Coverdale, 2 Macc. iv. 14. To lerne to fight, to wristle,… & to put at y^e stone.

1869–.  in Eng. Dial. Dict. (wrustle, wrussle, russle, etc.).

  b.  Const. with or † mid (a person, etc.).

  α.  c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1804. Iacob … bi-lef ðor on ðe niȝt,… And ðor wrestelede an engel wið.

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., II. iii. 225. Wiþe hym wrestlyt þe angel.

1480.  Caxton, Chron. Eng., iv. 14. That he shold wrestell with Coryn.

1530.  Palsgr., 756/1. Wrestell nat with me, for I wyll throwe the on thy backe.

1555.  Eden, Decades (Arb.), 171. She woolde oftentymes play and wrestle … with the kynges chamberlens.

1712.  Steele, Spect., No. 502, ¶ 5. Were there a Scene written, wherein Penkethman should break his Leg by wrestling with Bullock.

1790.  Burke, Fr. Rev., 246. He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves.

1856.  Kingsley, Heroes, 269. He challenges all comers to wrestle with him.

1889.  W. Armstrong, Wrestling, 229. Sam Rundle … recently wrestled with Carkeck the American.

  β.  a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 280. Þe ȝeape wrastlare nimeð ȝeme hwat turn his fere ne cunne nout, þet he mid wrastleð.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 515. Vor he ssolde mid corineus wrastli he adde iþoȝt.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 1798. A place to pleye, ordeyned Brutus,… [for Corineus] For to wrastle wyþ þat geaunt.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Monk’s T., 276. Sche couþe eke Wrastel … Wiþ any ȝonge man, were he neuere so whight.

c. 1440.  Gesta Rom., vii. 373. Darste thou wrastill with me?

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxvi. 565. He … toke aymonet by the wast for to wrastle wyth hym.

1530.  Palsgr., 785/1. I dare nat wrastell with hym, leste he gyve me a fall.

1612.  J. Davies (Heref.), Muses Sacr., Wks. (Grosart), II. 41/2. O thou, whom Iacob wrastled with a space.

1668.  H. More, Div. Dial., I. xxiii. 93. Consider … how many Spectres have been seen or felt to wrastle, pull or tug with a man.

  γ.  1382.  Wyclif, Gen. xxxii. 24. And loo! a man wristlide with hym vnto the morwe.

  c.  To struggle physically (with something) after the manner of wrestling.

1589.  Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 56. This infant … wrastling with snakes in his swadling cloutes.

1613.  Heywood, Silver Age, III. i. Wks. 1874, III. 129. It fits Ioues sonne Wrastle with Lyons, and to tugge with Beares.

1623.  J. Taylor (Water P.), Discov. by Sea, A 6. Against the rugged waues, we tugge and wrastle.

1643.  Howell, Twelve Treat. (1661), 94. She tugs and wrastles with the foamie waves.

1821.  Joanna Baillie, Metr. Leg., Lady G. B., xxxii. With her in mimick war they wrestle; Beneath her twisted robe they nestle.

1844.  Kinglake, Eöthen, ii. Thames, the ‘old Eton fellow’ that wrestled with us in our boyhood.

1893.  Robinson & Gilpin, Wrestling & Wrestlers, 77. A violent gust of wind struck the boat; it upset, and the strong man went down, unable to wrestle with his remorseless foe.

  fig. and transf.  1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xv. (1495), v vj. [Mercury] is callyd the god of wrastlyng,… for he [= the planet] wrastlyth w^t the sonne as he wold ouercome hym.

1539.  Bible (Great), Ecclus. li. 19. My soule hath wrestled with her [sc. wisdom].

a. 1600.  Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, xvi. 4. I wrassill with the wind.

1610.  Holland, Camden’s Brit., II. 233. I have in this worke wrastled with that envious and ravenous enemy Time.

1611.  Cotgr., Luicter contre les ombres, to wrastle with shadowes; to be angrie without cause.

1844.  A. B. Welby, Poems (1867), 89. In bondage I must wrestle here with death.

1893.  Robinson & Gilpin, Wrestling & Wrestlers, 41. When lying on his death bed, while wrestling with a foe sure to triumph in the end.

  d.  With complement.

1893.  Robinson & Gilpin, Wrestling & Wrestlers, p. xliv–xlv. If Best did wrestle second, ‘ae year in the ring at Carlisle,’ it must have been for some minor prize. Ibid., 26. Morton threw Halliwell of Penrith, and, we belive, Anthony McDonald of Appleby wrestled up with him.

  2.  To contend or struggle in hostility or opposition (with or against another or others).

a. 1200.  St. Marherete, 14. Wrestlin ha moten ant wiðerin wið ham seoluen.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 2035. Wrecche mon…! hwerto wultu wreastlin wið þe worldes wealdent?

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XIV. 224. If wratthe wrastel [v.r. wrystel] with þe pore.

1388–9.  in Wyclif’s Sel. Wks., III. 471. Prelatis, here deme ȝee and wrastulis ȝee who schal be mayster.

1390.  Gower, Conf., III. 350. Pan, which is the god of kinde, With Love wrastlede and was overcome.

1526.  Tindale, Eph. vi. 12. We wrestle not agaynst flesshe and bloud: but … agaynst worldy ruelars.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 167. For Kyng Henry … and Richard … wresteled for the game, and stroue for the wager.

a. 1575.  Pilkington, Nehemiah iii. 5 (1585), 41 b. Men … that dare and wil wrastle with the rich in correction.

1601.  R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 116. Wrastling with the venetians they had almost bereaued them of their estate and taken their city.

c. 1645.  Howell, Lett. (1688), III. 396. Venice wrastleth with the Turk.

  b.  fig. To strive or labor (esp. to obtain the mastery, superiority or advantage) with or against difficulties, circumstances, forces, personal feelings, etc. Also (b) without const.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 80. To wrastlen stalewardliche aȝein þes deofles swenges.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter, xiii. 11. All þat wrestils agayns vices in actif lif.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 655. This vertu is so … vigerous that it dar … wrastle agayn the assautes of the deuel.

1426.  Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 1571. Who that … Wyl wrastle ageyn yt [sc. vengeance].

1489.  Skelton, On Death Erle Northumbld., 82. They buskt them … Againe the kyngs plesure to wrestle or to wring.

c. 1534.  T. Starkey, Lett. to Cromwell, in Collier, 9 Hist. Lett. (1871), 48. In such tyme as I was wrastelyng wyth my fevur.

1553.  Wood, trans. Gardiner’s De Vera Obed., 5 b. Thei … haue wrestled against the truth of a long time.

1610.  Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 79. Iewes who wrestled in vaine against the decree of God.

1663.  Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., ix. You must wrastle stoutly with the difficulties.

1742.  Young, Nt. Th., II. 167. We rave, we wrestle with Great Nature’s Plan.

a. 1770.  Jortin, Serm. (1771), I. iv. 79. Strive to … wrestle against principalities and powers.

1827.  Keble, Chr. Y., Tuesday bef. Easter. Rather wouldst Thou wrestle with strong pain, Than overcloud Thy soul.

1865.  Dickens, Mut. Fr., II. xv. I had to wrestle with my self-respect.

  transf.  1592.  Soliman & Pers., I. v. 52. Were it not thou art my fathers sonne, And striuing kindnes wrestled not with ire.

  (b)  a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter, cxviii. 170. Of corupcioun of my body, for it is heuy to wrestil here sa lange.

c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., II. xi. 214. His witt schal be dressid and lad forthe … with myche lasse peyne and labour, than forto wrastle withinneforth in his owne ymaginaciouns.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 118 b. The more that ony persone relucketh, wrestleth, or stryues to ouercome these manyfolde temptacyons.

1565.  Satir. Poems Reform., i. 21. Who dothe wrest his will to wrastle in eche wronge.

1654.  E. Johnson, Wonder-wrkg. Provid., *104. For the which all the Israel of God fight, wrastle, pray.

  c.  To strive earnestly (with God) in prayer.

  With allusion to Gen. xxxii. 24–26.

1612.  T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 180. The Lord … whom we must wrastle withall by our praiers.

1638.  [see 11].

1652.  Benlowes, Theoph., VIII. lxxiv. By pray’r God’s serv’d betimes; remember who The blessing got by wrestling so.

1677.  W. Hubbard, Narrative, II. 57. [They] wrestled with God in their daily Prayers for his Release.

1816.  Scott, Old Mort., xxxiii. We have prayed, and wrestled, and petitioned, for an offering.

1849.  C. Brontë, Shirley, xxiv. The mother … wrestled with God in earnest prayer.

  3.  a. To labor, toil or exert oneself; to strive (for something); to tussle.

1382.  Wyclif, Ecclus. li. 25. My soule wrastled in it; and in doing it I am confermed.

1549.  Latimer, 4th Serm. bef. Edw. VI. (Arb.), 107. Thus go these prelates aboute to wreastle for honoure.

1558.  Phaër, Æneid., VII. S ij b. They their ships in marble seas with ores dyd wrastlyng towe.

1603.  Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 469. Whilest Hysmaell was thus wrestling for the Persian kingdome.

1620–6.  Quarles, Feast Worms, 1493. They rebell, and wrastle, And neuer cease, till they subdue the Castle.

1831.  Carlyle, Misc. (1872), IV. 28. How many a poor Hazlitt must … believe that he is seeking Truth, yet only wrestle among endless Sophisms.

1873.  Gosse, On Viol & Flute, 55.

  fig.  1633.  Shirley, Bird in Cage, I. i. Like errand Knights, our valiant wits must wrastle To free our ladyes from the inchanted Castle.

  b.  Of natural agencies, etc.: To engage in conflict or strife; to act against each other.

13[?].  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 525. Wroþe wynde of þe welkyn wrastelez with þe sunne.

a. 1400–50.  Wars Alex., 784. As þe erth & all þe elementis at anes had wrestild.

1865.  S. Bowles, Across the Continent, xviii. 185. River and rock have striven together, wrestling in close and doubtful embrace.

  c.  To engage in argument, debate or controversy; to debate, dispute.

c. 1450.  Capgrave, St. Augustine, 53. A-geyn all þese þis souereyn maystir … stood as a strong geaunt, wrestiling with argumentis for þe clennesse of þe feith.

1521.  Fisher, Serm. agst. Luther, iii. Wks. (1876), 337. Here Martin luther for his shrewed brayne wyll some thyng wrastell agaynst vs.

1565.  Calfhill, Answ. Martiall, 105. Hosius doth wrestle maruelously about the word.

1626.  Donne, Serm., 783. They were loath to wrastle with the people, or force them from dangerous customes.

  d.  To busy, occupy or concern oneself closely or earnestly with a subject, etc.; to deal with something as a task or troublesome duty.

c. 1454.  Pecock, Folewer, 7. Summe … wrastlen so long þerwith til þei gete competent vndirstondyng þerof. Ibid., 15. Eny oþir hard writyng with which þei schulen wrastle.

1582.  Mulcaster, Elementarie, I. (1925), 43. The other … will rather cast awaie their armor, then wrastle with the difficulties of vnknown and vneasie passages.

1628.  Coke, On Litt., Pref. The yong student … wrastling with … difficult termes.

1638.  R. Baker, trans. Balzac’s Lett. (vol. III.), 14. I am wrestling still with —— and preparing you an after-dinners Recreation.

1881.  Jowett, Thucyd., I. Introd. 13. Wrestling with language and logic.

1905.  R. Bagot, Passport, ix. 80. After wrestling with French history or German poetry.

  4.  To twist or writhe about; to wriggle, move sinuously; to work backwards and forwards.

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 890. He welterys, he wristeles, he wryngez hys handez.

c. 1450.  Merlin, iii. 655. Petrius peyned hym sore to a-rise and turned wrastelinge.

1481.  Caxton, Reynard, viii. (Arb.), 15. He wrange, he wrastled, and cryed,… he wiste not how he myght gete out.

1513.  Douglas, Æneid, XIII. iv. 82. The snaill … Fleand the birnand heit … A lang tyme gan do wrassill and to wreill.

a. 1618.  Sylvester, Paradox agst. Libertie, 659. When Eole doth unlock Sterne Auster’s stormie gate, making the waters wrastle, And rush … against the sturdy Castle.

a. 1628.  Preston, New Covt. (1630), 154. Fire if it be out of its place, water, if it be out of its place, it is still wrastling … till it returne to its owne place.

c. 1870.  B. Harte, Fr. Pedro’s Ride, in Fiddletown, etc. (1873), 108. He saw the wild oats wrestle on the hill.

  b.  To move or proceed with effort or toil; to struggle out (of) or through some place or condition. Also fig.

1591.  Savile, Tacitus, Hist., III. lix. 150. The armie … could hardly wrestle out of the snowe.

1614.  Lithgow, Trav., L j b. Wrestling amongst intricate pathes of rockes: two of our Asses fell ouer a banke.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 93. Wee … lost our way,… and at length wrastled to Geer.

1648.  J. Beaumont, Psyche, XVII. clxxi. Breath … forced is to goe about, And through the Noses Sluces wrestle out.

1728.  Ramsay, Robt., Richy & Sandy, 70. A squirrel wi’ his bells Ay wrestling up.

1853.  W. Cadenhead, Flights of Fancy, 255 (E.D.D.). When we’ve wrastled thro’ the warl’, as wrastle we maun a’.

1879.  Jefferies, Wild Life in S. Co., 83. The flames running from thatch to thatch, and, as they express it, ‘wrastling’ across the intervening spaces.

1899.  E. F. Heddle, Marget, 151. Once he said he would like to live to hear how Christian ‘wrastled through.’

  II.  5. trans. To engage in (a wrestling-bout or match). Also in fig. context.

a. 1400–50.  Wars Alex., 2276. If it ȝoure mekill maieste miȝt any thinge plese, I wald to wacken ȝoure welth now wirstill a turne.

c. 1412.  Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 5232. Þer-with þis land hath wrastled many a pul.

1588.  Drake, Lett., 31 July, in Barrow, Life (1843), 304. We have the armey of Spayne before us, and mynd with the Grace of God to wressell a poull with hym.

1639.  Fuller, Holy War, IV. xxxiii. 226. Now Ptolemais being to wrestle her last fall, stripped her self of all cumbersome clothes.

1645.  [see FALL sb.¹ 13].

1672.  R. Wild, Declar. Lib. Consc., 13. And for their Seditions and Treasons, let us leave Tyburn and them to wrastle a fair fall about them.

1816.  Scott, Old Mort., iv. Hark thee, friend,… wilt thou wrestle a fall with me? Ibid. (1825), Betrothed, Conclusion. Have we not wrestled a turn before now?

1843.  in Robinson & Gilpin, Wrestling & Wrestlers (1893), 58. Charles Lowdon is sixty years of age, would wrestle a match with any individual of the same age.

1855, 1883.  [see FALL sb.¹ 13].

  6.  a. To contend with (a person) in wrestling; to overcome by, throw in, wrestling. Also with down.

  Cf. the earlier over-wrestle OVER- 21, and WARSLE v. 1 c.

1818.  in Robinson & Gilpin, Wrestling & Wrestlers (1893), 164. He now challenges his opponent … to wrestle him for ten guineas. Ibid. (1843), 58. The veteran … will be happy to accept the challenge, and wrestle Mr. Lowdon, the best of five falls, for £5 or £10 a side.

1881.  Du Chaillu, Land of Midnight Sun, II. 51. A stout girl of twenty, strong enough to wrestle any man.

1903.  S. E. White, Forest, xv. 221. The Woods Indian is not a mighty man physically…. But I think I could have wrestled Peter down.

  b.  Western U.S. To throw (a calf) for branding.

1888.  Roosevelt, in Century Mag., April, 861/2. A fire is built, the irons heated, and a dozen men dismount to, as it is called, ‘wrestle’ the calves.

  7.  To push or thrust into something with a wrestling motion. rare^–1.

1820.  Byron, Juan, V. lxxviii. Wrestling both his arms into a gown, He paused.

  II.  With adverbs. 8. To wrestle down, to put down by wrestling or striving; to suppress, quell.

c. 1611.  Chapman, Iliad, XX. 31. These his words did such a warre excite, As no mans powre could wrastle downe.

1808.  Scott, Marm., II. xxiv. If … they wrestled down Feelings their nature strove to own. Ibid. (1816), Bl. Dwarf, vi. I will wrestle down my feelings of rebellious humanity.

  † 9.  To wrestle off, to set aside by argument; to controvert, rebut. Obs. rare^–1.

1639.  Laud, Confer. w. Fisher, 241. Where is then the Scriptures Prerogative? I know there is much shifting about this Place [marg. Num. 2], but it cannot be wrastled off.

  10.  To wrestle out: † a. To struggle through (a period of time) in discourse, etc. Obs.

a. 1756.  Pennecuik’s Collect. Scots Poems, 120. When Mess John has wrestl’d out the [hour] glass.

  b.  To go through, to perform or execute, to carry out, with struggle or effort.

1823.  Scott, Quentin D., xxii. in a moment the wretch wrestled out his last agonies.

1842.  Lover, Handy Andy, xxxiii. I would rather wrastle out a logical dispute any day.

1842.  Manning, Serm. (1843), I. 312. They have wrestled out the strife with the unseen powers of the wicked one.

  11.  To drive or force out of something (as) by wrestling. Also fig.

1638.  A. Henderson, Serm. (1867), 279. If so be that we will wrestle with God for a blessing, and prevail with him, then … we sall wrestle the enemies out of it also.

1858.  R. Chambers, Domest. Ann. Scotl., I. 9. How to wrestle the people out of their love of the May-games.