Writhe (?), v. t. [imp. Writhed (?); p. p. Writhed, Obs. or Poetic Writhen (); p. pr. & vb. n. Writhing.] [OE. writhen, AS. wrian to twist; akin to OHG. ridan, Icel. ria, 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.]<-- ; extract -->
The nobility hesitated not to follow the example of their sovereign in writhing money from them by every species of oppression.
Sir W. Scott.
© Webster 1913.
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.
© Webster 1913.