Hypertext Webster Gateway: "writhe"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Writhe \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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Writhe \Writhe\, v. t. [imp. {Writhed}; p. p. {Writhed}, Obs. or
Poetic {Writhen}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Writhing}.] [OE. writhen,
AS. wr[=i]?an to twist; akin to OHG. r[=i]dan, Icel. r[=i]?a,
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.]
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
writhe
v : to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (esp. when
struggling); "The prisoner writhed in discomfort." "The
child tried to wriggle free from his aunt's embrace."
[syn: {wrestle}, {wriggle}, {worm}, {squirm}, {twist}]
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