3  definitions  found 
 
  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  1.6  [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}] 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words