Also wry-neck. [f. WRY a. 1 + NECK sb.]
1. One or other species of the genus Iynx of small migratory scansorial picoid birds; esp. the common species, Iynx torquilla, distinguished by its habit of writhing the neck and head.
1585. Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 59/2. Iynx torquilla,… a wrynecke.
1611. Cotgr., Turcot,… the little ash-coloured and long-tongued bird, called a Wrynecke.
1676. Grew, Musæum, Anat. Stomach, viii. 38. A Young Wryneck … hath no Crop, and but a small Gulet.
1752. J. Hill, Hist. Anim., 402. Jynx, the wry-neck,… has a very singular way of twisting it’s head about, and bending it’s neck; it thence obtained … the name … of the Wry-neck.
1768. Pennant, Brit. Zool., I. 181. The Wryneck we believe to be a bird of passage…. It takes its name from a manner it has of turning its head back to the shoulders.
1815. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., ix. (1816), I. 288. The wryneck and the woodpeckers … live entirely upon insects.
1839–43. Yarrell, Brit. Birds, II. 152. As the Wryneck makes its appearance here about the same time as the Cuckoo, it has … acquired the names of Cuckoo’s Mate, and Cuckoo’s Maid.
1888. Newton, in Encycl. Brit., XXIV. 652/2. The Picidæ [include] … at least three Subfamilies…. The Woodpeckers proper,… the Piculets,… and the Wrynecks.
† b. An infusorian (see quot.). Obs.–1
1769. Phil. Trans., LIX. 149. The Volvox torquilla, or wryneck.
2. a. One who has a wry neck.
Earlier versions of quot. 1879 have the form wrynot.
1607. R. [Carew], trans. Estienne’s World Wond., 300. They learne … to looke downe to the ground, to counterfet wrynecks.
1653. R. Sanders, Physiogn., 172. Of them is the Proverb, Never trust a wry Neck.
1656. Flecknoe, Diarium, 2. And wry-neck they would ask with laughter, What newes ’twas he was hearkning after?
1879. W. Henderson, Folk-Lore N. C., vii. 254. He caps Wryneck, and Wryneck caps the Dule [= Devil].
b. attrib. = WRY-NECKED a. 2.
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 129. The wrynecke Earle of Lancaster.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado (1878), To Rdr. Th’ art no wri-neck critick.
1882. Encycl. Brit., XIV. 255/2. A son … known as Henry Tort-Col or Wryneck…. This Henry Wryneck died in 1361.
† c. Cant. (See quot.) Obs. rare–0.
1796. Grose, Dict. Vulg. T., Wry Neck Day, hanging day.
3. Path. A deformity characterized by contortion of the neck and face, and lateral inclination of the head; stiff-neck; = TORTICOLLIS.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v. Wry-Necked, If the Wry-neck proceeds from a contraction of one of the mastoide muscles.
1822–7. Good, Study Med. (1829), IV. 334. This species, therefore, offers us the three following varieties:… Natural wry-neck…. Spastic wry-neck…. Atonic wry-neck.
1872. T. Bryant, Pract. Surg. (1884), II. 345. Wry-neck is an example of this affection [sc. rigid atrophy] due to a contracted sterno-mastoid muscle.
1881. W. Rivington, in Brain, IV. 257. The ordinary form of spasmodic wry-neck.
b. (See quot.) rare–0.
1819. Rees, Cycl., Wry-neck, a disease of the spasmodic kind in sheep, in which the head is drawn forcibly to one side. [Hence in Webster (1828–32), and later Dicts.]
