wrest

noun

1. The act of wresting; a wrench or twist; distortion.

2. (obsolete) Active or motive power.

3. (music) A key to tune a stringed instrument.

4. A partition in a water wheel by which the form of the buckets is determined.

verb

1. obtain by seizing forcibly or violently, also metaphorically

- wrest the knife from his hands

- wrest a meaning from the old text

- wrest power from the old government

Definition categories: contact, seize