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wry |
5 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Wry \Wry\, v. t. [AS. wre['o]n.] To cover. [Obs.] Wrie you in that mantle. --Chaucer. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Wry \Wry\, a. [Compar. {Wrier}; superl. {Wriest}.] [Akin to OE wrien to twist, to bend, AS wrigian to tend towards, to drive.] 1. Turned to one side twisted; distorted; as a wry mouth. 2. Hence deviating from the right direction; misdirected; out of place as wry words Not according to the wry rigor of our neighbors, who never take up an old idea without some extravagance in its application. --Landor. 3. Wrested; perverted. He . . . puts a wry sense upon Protestant writers. --Atterbury. {Wry face}, a distortion of the countenance indicating impatience, disgust, or discomfort; a grimace. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Wry \Wry\, v. i. 1. To twist; to writhe; to bend or wind. 2. To deviate from the right way to go away or astray; to turn side to swerve. This Phebus gan awayward for to wryen. --Chaucer. How many Must murder wives much better than themselves For wrying but a little! --Shak. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Wry \Wry\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wried}; p. pr & vb n. {Wrying}.] [OE. wrien. See {Wry}, a.] To twist; to distort; to writhe; to wrest; to vex. --Sir P. Sidney. Guests by hundreds, not one caring If the dear host's neck were wried. --R. Browning. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: wry adj 1: humorously sarcastic or mocking; "dry humor"; "an ironic remark often conveys an intended meaning obliquely"; "an ironic novel"; "an ironical smile"; "with a wry Scottish wit" [syn: {dry}, {ironic}, {ironical}] 2: bent to one side "a wry neck" 3: disdainfully or ironically humorous; scornful and mocking; "his rebellion is the bitter, sardonic laughter of all great satirists"- Frank Schoenberner "a wry pleasure to be...reminded of all that one is missing"- Irwin Edman [syn: {sardonic}]
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