Writhen

Writhen
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}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To twist; to turn; now, usually, to twist or turn so as to distort; to wring. ``With writhing [turning] of a pin.'' --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Then Satan first knew pain, And writhed him to and fro. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Her mouth she writhed, her forehead taught to frown. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

His battle-writhen arms, and mighty hands. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]

2. To wrest; to distort; to pervert. [1913 Webster]

The reason which he yieldeth showeth the least part of his meaning to be that whereunto his words are writhed. --Hooker. [1913 Webster]

3. To extort; to wring; to wrest. [R.] [1913 Webster]

The nobility hesitated not to follow the example of their sovereign in writhing money from them by every species of oppression. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Writhen — Writh en, a. Having a twisted distorted from. [1913 Webster] A writhen staff his step unstable guides. Fairfax. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • writhen — [rith′ən] adj. [ME wrythen, pp. of writhen, to WRITHE] Archaic writhed; twisted; contorted …   English World dictionary

  • writhen — adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, from past participle of wrīthan Date: before 12th century being twisted or contorted < writhen trees > < a writhen smile > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • writhen — adjective Having been worked or prepared somehow. Is that fence made out of writhen iron? …   Wiktionary

  • writhen — adjective twisted (especially as in pain or struggle) his mad contorted smile writhed lips my writhen features Walter scott • Syn: ↑contorted, ↑writhed • Similar to: ↑crooked …   Useful english dictionary

  • writhen — /ridh euhn/, adj. Archaic. twisted. [bef. 900; ME, OE; see WRITHE, EN2] * * * …   Universalium

  • writhen — [ rɪδ(ə)n] (also wrythen) adjective 1》 literary twisted or contorted out of normal shape. 2》 (of antique glass or silver) having spirally twisted ornamentation. Origin OE, archaic past participle of writhe …   English new terms dictionary

  • writhen — writh·en …   English syllables

  • i-writhen — i writhen, wriðen ME. pa. pple. of writhe v., to bind …   Useful english dictionary

  • wrethen—writhen — part. == twisted. Alys. 5723 …   Oldest English Words

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