Wrackful
Wrack´ful, a. Ruinous; destructive. [Obs.]

Wrain-bolt
Wrain´-bolt, n. Same as Wringbolt.

Wranglesome
Wran´gle•some, a. Contentious; quarrelsome. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. { Wran´nock, Wran´ny } n. (Zoöl.) The common wren. [Prov. Eng.]

Wrap, v. t. [A corrupt spelling of rap.] To snatch up; transport; — chiefly used in the p. p. wrapt.
"Lo! where the stripling, wrapt in wonder, roves." Beattie.

Wrap, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wrapped or Wrapt; p. pr. & vb. n. Wrapping.] [OE. wrappen, probably akin to E. warp. rad.144. Cf. Warp.]
1. To wind or fold together; to arrange in folds.
"Then cometh Simon Peter, … and seeth … the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself." John xx. 6, 7.
"Like one that wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams." Bryant.
2. To cover by winding or folding; to envelop completely; to involve; to infold; — often with up.
"I … wrapt in mist Of midnight vapor, glide obscure." Milton.
3. To conceal by enveloping or infolding; to hide; hence, to involve, as an effect or consequence; to be followed by.
"Wise poets that wrap truth in tales." Carew. To be wrapped up in, to be wholly engrossed in; to be entirely dependent on; to be covered with.
"Leontine’s young wife, in whom all his happiness was wrapped up, died in a few days after the death of her daughter." Addison.
"Things reflected on in gross and transiently … are thought to be wrapped up in impenetrable obscurity." Locke.

Wrap, n. A wrapper; — often used in the plural for blankets, furs, shawls, etc., used in riding or traveling.

Wrappage
Wrap´page ( 48), n.
1. The act of wrapping.
2. That which wraps; envelope; covering.

Wrapper
Wrap´per, n.
1. One who, or that which, wraps.
2. That in which anything is wrapped, or inclosed; envelope; covering.
3. Specifically, a loose outer garment; an article of dress intended to be wrapped round the person; as a morning wrapper; a gentleman’s wrapper.

Wraprascal
Wrap´ras•cal, n. A kind of coarse upper coat, or overcoat, formerly worn.

Wrasse, n. [W. gwrachen.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous edible, marine, spiny-finned fishes of the genus Labrus, of which several species are found in the Mediterranean and on the Atlantic coast of Europe. Many of the species are bright-colored. Among the European species are the ballan wrasse ( Labrus maculatus), the streaked wrasse ( L. lineatus), the red wrasse ( L. mixtus), the comber wrasse ( L. comber), the blue-striped, or cook, wrasse (see Peacock fish, under Peacock), the rainbow wrasse ( L. vulgaris), and the seawife.

Wrathful
Wrath´ful, a.
1. Full of wrath; very angry; greatly incensed; ireful; passionate; as a wrathful man.
2. Springing from, or expressing, wrath; as a wrathful countenance. "Wrathful passions." Sprat.
Syn. — Furious; raging; indignant; resentful. — Wrath´ful•ly, adv. — Wrath´ful•ness, n.

Wrathily
Wrath´i•ly, adv. In a wrathy manner; very angrily; wrathfully. [Colloq.]

Wrathless
Wrath´less, a. Free from anger or wrath. Waller.

Wrathy
Wrath´y, a. Very angry. [Colloq.]

Wraw, a. [Cf. dial. Sw. vrå willful, disobedient.] Angry; vexed; wrathful. [Obs.]
"With this speech the cock wex wroth and wraw." Chaucer.

Wrawful
Wraw´ful, a. Ill-tempered. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Wrawl, v. i. [Cf. Dan. vraale, Sw. vråla to brawl, to roar, Dan. vraal a bawling, roaring, vraele to cry, weep, whine.] To cry, as a cat; to waul. [Obs.] Spenser.

Wrawness
Wraw´ness, n. Peevishness; ill temper; anger. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Wray, v. t. [AS. wrgan to accuse. See Bewray.] To reveal; to disclose. [Obs.]
"To no wight thou shalt this counsel wray." Chaucer.

Wreakless
Wreak´less, a. Unrevengeful; weak. [Obs.]

Wreath ( 277), n. ; pl. Wreaths (#). [OE. wrethe, AS. wraeð a twisted band, fr. wriðan to twist. See Writhe.]
1. Something twisted, intertwined, or curled; as a wreath of smoke; a wreath of flowers. "A wrethe of gold." Chaucer.
"[He] of his tortuous train Curled many a wanton wreath." Milton.
2. A garland; a chaplet, esp. one given to a victor.
"Conquest doth grant He dear wreath to the Grecian combatant." Chapman.
"Far back in the ages, The plow with wreaths was crowned." Bryant.
3. (Her.) An appendage to the shield, placed above it, and supporting the crest (see Illust. of Crest). It generally represents a twist of two cords of silk, one tinctured like the principal metal, the other like the principal color in the arms.

Wreathen
Wreath´en, a. Twisted; made into a wreath. "Wreathen work of pure gold." Ex. xxviii. 22.

Wreathless
Wreath´less, a. Destitute of a wreath.

Wreath-shell
Wreath´-shell, n. (Zoöl.) A marine shell of the genus Turbo. See Turbo.

Wrecche
Wrec´che, n. A wretch. [Obs.]

Wrecche
Wrec´che, a. Wretched. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Wreche, n. Wreak. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Wreck, v. t. & n. See 2d & 3d Wreak.

Wreck, n. [OE. wrak, AS. wraec exile, persecution, misery, from wrecan to drive out, punish; akin to D. wrak, adj., damaged, brittle, n., a wreck, wraken to reject, throw off, Icel. rek a thing drifted ashore, Sw. vrak refuse, a wreck, Dan. vrag. See Wreak, v. t., and cf. Wrack a marine plant.] [Written also wrack.]
1. The destruction or injury of a vessel by being cast on shore, or on rocks, or by being disabled or sunk by the force of winds or waves; shipwreck.
"Hard and obstinate As is a rock amidst the raging floods, ’Gainst which a ship, of succor desolate, Doth suffer wreck, both of herself and goods." Spenser.
2. Destruction or injury of anything, especially by violence; ruin; as the wreck of a railroad train.
"The wreck of matter and the crush of worlds." Addison.
"Its intellectual life was thus able to go on amidst the wreck of its political life." J. R. Green.
3. The ruins of a ship stranded; a ship dashed against rocks or land, and broken, or otherwise rendered useless, by violence and fracture; as they burned the wreck.
4. The remain of anything ruined or fatally injured.
"To the fair haven of my native home, The wreck of what I was fatigued I come." Cowper.
5. (Law) Goods, etc., which, after a shipwreck, are cast upon the land by the sea. Bouvier.

Wreck, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wrecked p. pr. & vb. n. Wrecking.]
1. To destroy, disable, or seriously damage, as a vessel, by driving it against the shore or on rocks, by causing it to become unseaworthy, to founder, or the like; to shipwreck.
"Supposing that they saw the king’s ship wrecked." Shak.
2. To bring wreck or ruin upon by any kind of violence; to destroy, as a railroad train.
3. To involve in a wreck; hence, to cause to suffer ruin; to balk of success, and bring disaster on.
"Weak and envied, if they should conspire, They wreck themselves." Daniel.

Wreck, v. i.
1. To suffer wreck or ruin. Milton.
2. To work upon a wreck, as in saving property or lives, or in plundering.

Wreckage
Wreck´age ( 48), n.
1. The act of wrecking, or state of being wrecked.
2. That which has been wrecked; remains of a wreck.

Wrecker
Wreck´er, n.
1. One who causes a wreck, as by false lights, and the like.
2. One who searches fro, or works upon, the wrecks of vessels, etc. Specifically: (a) One who visits a wreck for the purpose of plunder. (b) One who is employed in saving property or lives from a wrecked vessel, or in saving the vessel; as the wreckers of Key West.
3. A vessel employed by wreckers.

Wreckfish
Wreck´fish, n. [So called because it often comes in with wreckage.] (Zoöl.) A stone bass.

Wreckful
Wreck´ful, a. Causing wreck; involving ruin; destructive. "By wreckful wind." Spenser.

Wrecking
Wreck´ing, a. & n. from Wreck, v. Wrecking car (Railway), a car fitted up with apparatus and implements for removing the wreck occasioned by an accident, as by a collision. — Wrecking pump, a pump especially adapted for pumping water from the hull of a wrecked vessel.

Wrester
Wrest´er, n. One who wrests.

Wrestle
Wres´tle, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Wrestled p. pr. & vb. n. Wrestling ] [OE. wrestlen, wrastlen, AS. wrstlian, freq. of wrstan to wrest; akin to OD. wrastelen to wrestle. See Wrest, v. t.]
1. To contend, by grappling with, and striving to trip or throw down, an opponent; as they wrestled skillfully.
"To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for my credit, and he that escapes me without some broken limb shall acquit him well." Shak.
"Another, by a fall in wrestling, started the end of the clavicle from the sternum." Wiseman.
2. Hence, to struggle; to strive earnestly; to contend.
"Come, wrestle with thy affections." Shak.
"We wrestle not against flesh and blood." Eph. vi. 12.
"Difficulties with which he had himself wrestled." M. Arnold.

Wrestle
Wres´tle, v. t. To wrestle with; to seek to throw down as in wrestling.

Wrestle
Wres´tle, n. A struggle between two persons to see which will throw the other down; a bout at wrestling; a wrestling match; a struggle.
"Whom in a wrestle the giant catching aloft, with a terrible hug broke three of his ribs." Milton.

Wrestler
Wres´tler, n. [AS. wraestlere.] One who wrestles; one who is skillful in wrestling.

Wrestling
Wres´tling, n. Act of one who wrestles; specif., the sport consisting of the hand-to-hand combat between two unarmed contestants who seek to throw each other. The various styles of wrestling differ in their definition of a fall and in the governing rules. In Greco-Roman wrestling, tripping and taking hold of the legs are forbidden, and a fall is gained (that is, the bout is won), by the contestant who pins both his opponent’s shoulders to the ground. In catch-as-catch-can wrestling, all holds are permitted except such as may be barred by mutual consent, and a fall is defined as in Greco-Roman style. Lancashire style wrestling is essentially the same as catch-as-catch- can. In Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling the contestants stand chest to chest, grasping each other around the body. The one first losing his hold, or touching the ground with any part of his body except his feet, loses the bout. If both fall to the ground at the same time, it is a dogfall, and must be wrestled over. In the Cornwall and Devon wrestling, the wrestlers complete in strong loose linen jackets, catching hold of the jacket, or anywhere above the waist. Two shoulders and one hip, or two hips and one shoulder, must touch the ground to constitute a fall, and if a man is thrown otherwise than on his back the contestants get upon their feet and the bout recommences.

Wretch, n. [OE. wrecche, AS. wrecca, wraecca, an exile, a wretch, fr. wrecan to drive out, punish; properly, an exile, one driven out, akin to AS. wraec an exile, OS. wrekkio a stranger, OHG. reccheo an exile. See Wreak, v. t.]
1. A miserable person; one profoundly unhappy. "The wretch that lies in woe." Shak.
"Hovered thy spirit o’er thy sorrowing son, Wretch even then, life’s journey just begun?" Cowper.
2. One sunk in vice or degradation; a base, despicable person; a vile knave; as a profligate wretch. Wretch is sometimes used by way of slight or ironical pity or contempt, and sometimes to express tenderness; as we say, poor thing. "Poor wretch was never frighted so." Drayton.

Wretchedly
Wretch´ed•ly, adv. In a wretched manner; miserably; despicable.

Wretchedness
Wretch´ed•ness, n.
1. The quality or state of being wretched; utter misery. Sir W. Raleigh.
2. A wretched object; anything despicably. [Obs.]
"Eat worms and such wretchedness." Chaucer.

Wretchful
Wretch´ful, a. Wretched. [Obs.] Wyclif.

Wretchless
Wretch´less, a. [See Reckless.] Reckless; hence, disregarded. [Obs.] — Wretch´less•ly, adv. [Obs.] — Wretch´less•ness, n. [Obs.] Bk. of Com. Prayer.
"Your deaf ears should listen Unto the wretchless clamors of the poor." J. Webster.

Wriggle
Wrig´gle, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Wriggled p. pr. & vb. n. Wriggling ] [Freq. of wrig, probably from OE. wrikken to move to and fro; cf. LG. wriggeln, D. wrikken, Sw. vricka, Dan. vrikke.] To move the body to and fro with short, writhing motions, like a worm; to squirm; to twist uneasily or quickly about.
"Both he and successors would often wriggle in their seats, as long as the cushion lasted." Swift.

Wriggle
Wrig´gle, v. t. To move with short, quick contortions; to move by twisting and squirming; like a worm.
"Covetousness will wriggle itself out at a small hole." Fuller.
"Wriggling his body to recover His seat, and cast his right leg over." Hudibras.

Wriggle
Wrig´gle, a. Wriggling; frisky; pliant; flexible. [Obs.] "Their wriggle tails." Spenser.

Wriggle
Wrig´gle, n. Act of wriggling; a short or quick writhing motion or contortion. { Wyn, Wynn, n. Also Wen }. [AS. wen.] One of the runes adopted into the Anglo-Saxon, or Old English, alphabet. It had the value of modern English w, and was replaced from about a. d. 1280 at first by uu, later by w. X. { Xan´thine, n. Also Xan´thin }. [Gr. xanqo•s yellow.] (Physiol. Chem.) A white microcrystalline nitrogenous compound, C₅H₄O₂N₄, present in muscle tissue, in the liver, spleen, pancreas and other organs, and also in urine (in small quantities) and some urinary calculi, and in the juices of certain plants; — so called because it leaves a yellow residue when evaporated to dryness with nitric acid. Xanthine is closely related to uric acid.

Wright, n. [OE. wrighte, writhe, AS. wyrtha, fr. wyrcean to work. rad.145. See Work.] One who is engaged in a mechanical or manufacturing business; an artificer; a workman; a manufacturer; a mechanic; esp., a worker in wood; — now chiefly used in compounds, as in mill wright, wheel wright, etc.
"He was a well good wright, a carpenter." Chaucer.

Wring, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wrung, Obs. Wringed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Wringing.] [OE. wringen, AS. wringan; akin to LG. & D. wringen, OHG. ringan to struggle, G. ringen, Sw. vränga to distort, Dan. vringle to twist. Cf. Wrangle, Wrench, Wrong.]
1. To twist and compress; to turn and strain with violence; to writhe; to squeeze hard; to pinch; as to wring clothes in washing. "Earnestly wringing Waverley’s hand." Sir W. Scott. "Wring him by the nose." Shak.
"[His steed] so sweat that men might him wring." Chaucer.
"The king began to find where his shoe did wring him." Bacon.
"The priest shall bring it [a dove] unto the altar, and wring off his head." Lev. i. 15.
2. Hence, to pain; to distress; to torment; to torture.
"Too much grieved and wrung by an uneasy and strait fortune." Clarendon.
"Didst thou taste but half the griefs That wring my soul, thou couldst not talk thus coldly." Addison.
3. To distort; to pervert; to wrest.
"How dare men thus wring the Scriptures?" Whitgift.
4. To extract or obtain by twisting and compressing; to squeeze or press (out); hence, to extort; to draw forth by violence, or against resistance or repugnance; — usually with out or form.
"Your overkindness doth wring tears from me." Shak.
"He rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece." Judg. vi. 38.
5. To subject to extortion; to afflict, or oppress, in order to enforce compliance.
"To wring the widow from her ’customed right." Shak.
"The merchant adventures have been often wronged and wringed to the quick." Hayward.
6. (Naut.) To bend or strain out of its position; as to wring a mast.

Wring, v. i. To writhe; to twist, as with anguish.
"’T is all men’s office to speak patience To those that wring under the load of sorrow." Shak.
"Look where the sister of the king of France Sits wringing of her hands, and beats her breast." Marlowe.

Wring, n. A writhing, as in anguish; a twisting; a griping. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

Wringbolt
Wring´bolt, n. (Shipbuilding) A bolt used by shipwrights, to bend and secure the planks against the timbers till they are fastened by bolts, spikes, or treenails; — not to be confounded with ringbolt.

Wringer
Wring´er, n.
1. One who, or that which, wrings; hence, an extortioner.
2. A machine for pressing water out of anything, particularly from clothes after they have been washed.

Wringing
Wring´ing, a. & n. from Wring, v. Wringing machine, a wringer. See Wringer, 2.

Wrinkle
Wrin´kle, n. A winkle. [Local, U. S.]

Wrinkle
Wrin´kle, n. [OE. wrinkil, AS. wrincle; akin to OD. wrinckel, and prob. to Dan. rynke, Sw. rynka, Icel. hrukka, OHG. runza, G. runzel, L. ruga. .]
1. A small ridge, prominence, or furrow formed by the shrinking or contraction of any smooth substance; a corrugation; a crease; a slight fold; as wrinkle in the skin; a wrinkle in cloth. "The wrinkles in my brows." Shak.
"Within I do not find wrinkles and used heart, but unspent youth." Emerson.
2. hence, any roughness; unevenness.
"Not the least wrinkle to deform the sky." Dryden.
3. [Perhaps a different word, and a dim. AS. wrenc a twisting, deceit. Cf. Wrench, n. ] A notion or fancy; a whim; as to have a new wrinkle. [Colloq.]

Wrinkle
Wrin´kle, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wrinkled p. pr. & vb. n. Wrinkling ]
1. To contract into furrows and prominences; to make a wrinkle or wrinkles in; to corrugate; as wrinkle the skin or the brow. "Sport that wrinkled Care derides." Milton.
"Her wrinkled form in black and white arrayed." Pope.
2. Hence, to make rough or uneven in any way.
"A keen north wind that, blowing dry, Wrinkled the face of deluge, as decayed." Milton.
"Then danced we on the wrinkled sand." Bryant. To wrinkle at, to sneer at. [Obs.] Marston.

Wrinkle
Wrin´kle, v. i. To shrink into furrows and ridges.

Wrinkly
Wrin´kly, a. Full of wrinkles; having a tendency to be wrinkled; corrugated; puckered. G. Eliot.
"His old wrinkly face grew quite blown out at last." Carlyle.

Wrist, n. [OE. wriste, wrist, AS. wrist; akin to OFries. wriust, LG. wrist, G. rist wrist, instep, Icel. rist instep, Dan. & Sw. vrist, and perhaps to E. writhe.]
1. (Anat.) The joint, or the region of the joint, between the hand and the arm; the carpus. See Carpus.
"He took me by the wrist, and held me hard." Shak.
2. (Mach.) A stud or pin which forms a journal; — also called wrist pin. Bridle wrist, the wrist of the left hand, in which a horseman holds the bridle. — Wrist clonus. [NL. clonus, fr. Gr. . See Clonic.] (Med.) A series of quickly alternating movements of flexion and extension of the wrist, produced in some cases of nervous disease by suddenly bending the hand back upon the forearm. — Wrist drop (Med.), paralysis of the extensor muscles of the hand, affecting the hand so that when an attempt is made to hold it out in line with the forearm with the palm down, the hand drops. It is chiefly due to plumbism. Called also hand drop. — Wrist plate (Steam Engine), a swinging plate bearing two or more wrists, for operating the valves.

Wrister
Wrist´er, n. A covering for the wrist.

Wristlet
Wrist´let, n. An elastic band worn around the wrist, as for the purpose of securing the upper part of a glove.

Writ, obs. 3d pers. sing. pres. of Write, for writeth. Chaucer.

Writ, archaic imp. & p. p. of Write. Dryden.

Writ, n. [AS. writ, ge writ. See Write.]
1. That which is written; writing; scripture; — applied especially to the Scriptures, or the books of the Old and New testaments; as sacred writ. "Though in Holy Writ not named." Milton.
"Then to his hands that writ he did betake, Which he disclosing read, thus as the paper spake." Spenser.
"Babylon, so much spoken of in Holy Writ." Knolles.
2. (Law) An instrument in writing, under seal, in an epistolary form, issued from the proper authority, commanding the performance or nonperformance of some act by the person to whom it is directed; as a writ of entry, of error, of execution, of injunction, of mandamus, of return, of summons, and the like. Writs are usually witnessed, or tested, in the name of the chief justice or principal judge of the court out of which they are issued; and those directed to a sheriff, or other ministerial officer, require him to return them on a day specified. In former English law and practice, writs in civil cases were either original or judicial; the former were issued out of the Court of Chancery, under the great seal, for the summoning of a defendant to appear, and were granted before the suit began and in order to begin the same; the latter were issued out of the court where the original was returned, after the suit was begun and during the pendency of it. Tomlins. Brande. Encyc. Brit. The term writ is supposed by Mr. Reeves to have been derived from the fact of these formulae having always been expressed in writing, being, in this respect, distinguished from the other proceedings in the ancient action, which were conducted orally. Writ of account, Writ of capias, etc. See under Account, Capias, etc. — Service of a writ. See under Service.

Writable
Writ´a•ble, a. Capable of, or suitable for, being written down.

Writative
Writ´a•tive, a. Inclined to much writing; — correlative to talkative. [R.] Pope.

Write, v. t. [ imp. Wrote p. p. Written Archaic imp. & p. p. Writ p. pr. & vb. n. Writing.] [OE. writen, AS. writan; originally, to scratch, to score; akin to OS. writan to write, to tear, to wound, D. rijten to tear, to rend, G. reissen, OHG. rizan, Icel. rita to write, Goth. writs a stroke, dash, letter. Cf. Race tribe, lineage.]
1. To set down, as legible characters; to form the conveyance of meaning; to inscribe on any material by a suitable instrument; as to write the characters called letters; to write figures.
2. To set down for reading; to express in legible or intelligible characters; to inscribe; as to write a deed; to write a bill of divorcement; hence, specifically, to set down in an epistle; to communicate by letter.
"Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves." Shak.
"I chose to write the thing I durst not speak To her I loved." Prior.
3. Hence, to compose or produce, as an author.
"I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time within the memory of men still living." Macaulay.
4. To impress durably; to imprint; to engrave; as truth written on the heart.
5. To make known by writing; to record; to prove by one’s own written testimony; — often used reflexively.
"He who writes himself by his own inscription is like an ill painter, who, by writing on a shapeless picture which he hath drawn, is fain to tell passengers what shape it is, which else no man could imagine." Milton. To write to, to communicate by a written document to. — Written laws, laws deriving their force from express legislative enactment, as contradistinguished from unwritten, or common, law. See the Note under Law, and Common law, under Common, a.

Write, v. i.
1. To form characters, letters, or figures, as representative of sounds or ideas; to express words and sentences by written signs. Chaucer.
"So it stead you, I will write, Please you command." Shak.
2. To be regularly employed or occupied in writing, copying, or accounting; to act as clerk or amanuensis; as he writes in one of the public offices.
3. To frame or combine ideas and express them in written words; to play the author; to recite or relate in books; to compose.
"They can write up to the dignity and character of the authors." Felton.
4. To compose or send letters.
"He wrote for all the Jews that went out of his realm up into Jewry concerning their freedom." 1 Esdras iv. 49.

Writer
Writ´er, n. [AS. writere.]
1. One who writes, or has written; a scribe; a clerk.
"They [came] that handle the pen of the writer." Judg. v. 14.
"My tongue is the pen of a ready writer." Ps. xlv. 1.
2. One who is engaged in literary composition as a profession; an author; as a writer of novels.
"This pitch, as ancient writers do report, doth defile." Shak.
3. A clerk of a certain rank in the service of the late East India Company, who, after serving a certain number of years, became a factor. Writer of the tallies (Eng. Law), an officer of the exchequer of England, who acted as clerk to the auditor of the receipt, and wrote the accounts upon the tallies from the tellers’ bills. The use of tallies in the exchequer has been abolished. Wharton (Law. Dict.) — Writer’scramp, palsy, or spasm (Med.), a painful spasmodic affection of the muscles of the fingers, brought on by excessive use, as in writing, violin playing, telegraphing, etc. Called also scrivener’s palsy. — Writer to the signet. See under Signet.

Writhe, v. t. [ imp. Writhed p. p. Writhed, Obs. or Poetic Writhen ; p. pr. & vb. n. Writhing.] [OE. writhen, AS. wrian to twist; akin to OHG. ridan, Icel. ria, Sw. vrida, Dan. vride. Cf. Wreathe, Wrest, Wroth.]
1. To twist; to turn; now, usually, to twist or turn so as to distort; to wring. "With writhing [turning] of a pin." Chaucer.
"Then Satan first knew pain, And writhed him to and fro." Milton.
"Her mouth she writhed, her forehead taught to frown." Dryden.
"His battle- writhen arms, and mighty hands." Tennyson.
2. To wrest; to distort; to pervert.
"The reason which he yieldeth showeth the least part of his meaning to be that whereunto his words are writhed." Hooker.
3. To extort; to wring; to wrest. [R.]
"The nobility hesitated not to follow the example of their sovereign in writhing money from them by every species of oppression." Sir W. Scott.

Writhe, v. i. To twist or contort the body; to be distorted; as to writhe with agony. Also used figuratively.
"After every attempt, he felt that he had failed, and writhed with shame and vexation." Macaulay.

Writhen
Writh´en, a. Having a twisted distorted from.
"A writhen staff his step unstable guides." Fairfax.

Writhle
Wri´thle, v. t. [Freq. of writhe.] To wrinkle. [Obs.] Shak.

Writing
Writ´ing, n.
1. The act or art of forming letters and characters on paper, wood, stone, or other material, for the purpose of recording the ideas which characters and words express, or of communicating them to others by visible signs.
2. Anything written or printed; anything expressed in characters or letters; as: (a) Any legal instrument, as a deed, a receipt, a bond, an agreement, or the like. (b) Any written composition; a pamphlet; a work; a literary production; a book; as the writings of Addison. (c) An inscription.
"And Pilate wrote a title … And the writing was Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." John xix. 19.
3. Handwriting; chirography. Writing book, a book for practice in penmanship. — Writing desk, a desk with a sloping top for writing upon; also a case containing writing materials, and used in a similar manner. — Writing lark (Zoöl.), the European yellow-hammer; — so called from the curious irregular lines on its eggs. [Prov. Eng.] — Writing machine. Same as Typewriter. — Writing master, one who teaches the art of penmanship. — Writing obligatory (Law), a bond. — Writing paper, paper intended for writing upon with ink, usually finished with a smooth surface, and sized. — Writing school, a school for instruction in penmanship. — Writing table, a table fitted or used for writing upon.

Wroken
Wro´ken, obs. p. p. of Wreak. Chaucer.

Wrongdoing
Wrong´do•ing, n. Evil or wicked behavior or action.

Wronger
Wrong´er, n. One who wrongs or injures another. Shak. "Wrongers of the world." Tennyson.

Wrongful
Wrong´ful, a. Full of wrong; injurious; unjust; unfair; as a wrongful taking of property; wrongful dealing. — Wrong´ful•ly, adv. — Wrong´ful•ness, n.

Wronghead
Wrong´head, n. A person of a perverse understanding or obstinate character. [R.]

Wronghead
Wrong´head, a. Wrongheaded. [R.] Pope.

Wrongheaded
Wrong´head•ed, a. Wrong in opinion or principle; having a perverse understanding; perverse. — Wrong´head•ed•ly, adv. — Wrong´head•ed•ness, n. Macaulay.

Wrongless
Wrong´less, a. Not wrong; void or free from wrong. [Obs.] — Wrong´less•ly, adv. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.

Wrongly
Wrong´ly, adv. In a wrong manner; unjustly; erroneously; wrong; amiss; as he judges wrongly of my motives. "And yet wouldst wrongly win." Shak.

Wrongness
Wrong´ness, n. The quality or state of being wrong; wrongfulness; error; fault.
"The best great wrongnesses within themselves." Bp. Butler.
"The rightness or wrongness of this view." Latham.

Wrongous
Wron´gous, a. [Cf. OE. wrongwis. See Wrong, and cf. Righteous.]
1. Constituting, or of the nature of, a wrong; unjust; wrongful. [R.]
2. (Scots Law) Not right; illegal; as wrongous imprisonment. Craig.

Wroot, obs. imp. of Write. Wrote. Chaucer.

Wryneck
Wry´neck, n. (Med.)
1. A twisted or distorted neck; a deformity in which the neck is drawn to one side by a rigid contraction of one of the muscles of the neck; torticollis.
2. (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of Old World birds of the genus Jynx, allied to the woodpeckers; especially, the common European species ( J. torguilla); — so called from its habit of turning the neck around in different directions. Called also cuckoo’s mate, snakebird, summer bird, tonguebird, and writheneck.

Wrynecked
Wry´necked, a. Having a distorted neck; having the deformity called wryneck.

Wryness
Wry´ness, n. The quality or state of being wry, or distorted. W. Montagu.

Wrythen
Wryth´en, obs. p. p. of Writhe. Writhen.