wrench

Related topics: Illness & disability

wrench1 /rentʃ/ verb

1 [transitiveT always + adverbadv/prepositionprep]PULL to twist and pull something roughly from the place where it is being held 猛扭，猛拧，猛拉

I wrenched the packet from his grasp.

我用力夺过他攥在手里的纸袋。

The door had been wrenched open.

门被猛地拉开了。

2 wrench yourself away/free to use your strength to pull yourself away from someone who is holding you 挣脱开来

She managed to wrench herself free.

她想方设法挣脱了出来。

Examples from the Corpus

wrench yourself away/free• Adam closed the front door and stood there for a moment as if he could not wrench himself away.• Claws snagged on the photographer's clothing, but he managed to wrench himself away.• Without you white birds would wrench themselves free from my paintings and fly off dripping blood into the night.

3 [transitiveT]MIINJURE to hurt a joint in your body by twisting it 扭伤〔关节〕 SYN sprain

I think I’ve wrenched my knee.

我想我膝盖扭伤了。

Examples from the Corpus

wrench• Every punch and kick doubled her up with pain and wrenched a tortured shout from her throat.• The boat wrenched and banked severely to the right.• He wrenched at the stout panelling, roaring with fury.• Horrified, she tried to wrench herself from sleep - then the water struck, roaring round her ears.• Brian wrenched his back trying to carry a heavy box.• They were almost at the church before he wrenched his mind back to the present.• In 1943, the army wrenched the boy's father from him.• Only greater humiliation could result from an attempt to wrench the truth from her.

wrench2 noun

[countableC] especially American EnglishAmE a metal tool that you use for turning nuts 扳手，扳钳 SYN British English spanner

2. throw a (monkey) wrench in something American EnglishAmE informalSPOIL to do something that will cause problems or spoil someone’s plans 破坏[阻挠]某事物 SYN British English throw/put a spanner in the works

3 [singular]REGRET/FEEL SORRY a strong feeling of sadness that you get when you leave a person or place that you love 〔离别时的〕伤感，离愁别绪

Leaving New York had been a terrible wrench.

离开纽约让人十分伤感。

4 [countableC usually singular]PULL a twisting movement that pulls something violently 猛拧，猛扭，猛拉

He grabbed the rope and gave it a wrench.

他抓住绳子猛地一拉。

Examples from the Corpus

wrench• But I know it is going to be a wrench.• As she told me the bad news, I felt a wrench in my stomach.• He had a wrench hanging from his belt loop.• One wrench of your back could cause permanent damage.• Yet Washington keeps throwing political wrenches into oil projects at home and abroad.• I pushed the wrench down the side of Armstrong's driving seat and wound up the engine.• Spray it and then use the wrench on it, jump on to the window ledge then on to the door.

Origin wrench1

Old English wrencan

wrench1 verbwrench2 noun

Chinese

Corpus