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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ His steed ] so sweat that men might him wring. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

The king began to find where his shoe did wring him. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

The priest shall bring it [ a dove ] unto the altar, and wring off his head. Lev. i. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, to pain; to distress; to torment; to torture. [ 1913 Webster ]

Too much grieved and wrung by an uneasy and strait fortune. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Didst thou taste but half the griefs
That wring my soul, thou couldst not talk thus coldly. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

How dare men thus wring the Scriptures? Whitgift. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Your overkindness doth wring tears from me. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

He rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece. Judg. vi. 38. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To subject to extortion; to afflict, or oppress, in order to enforce compliance. [ 1913 Webster ]

To wring the widow from her 'customed right. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The merchant adventures have been often wronged and wringed to the quick. Hayward. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Naut.) To bend or strain out of its position; as, to wring a mast. [ 1913 Webster ]