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wrest

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wrest someone or something (away) from someone or something

to struggle to get someone or something from the grip of someone or something. The kidnappers wrested the baby from his mother and ran away with him. The policeman wrested the gun away from Lefty.

See also: wrest

wrest something off (of) something

 and wrest something off

to struggle to get something off something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Somehow he wrested the hubcap off the wheel. He wrested off the hubcap.

See also: off, wrest

wrest from

v.

1. To obtain something from someone or something by pulling with violent twisting movements: I wrested the hammer from his fist.

2. To usurp or obtain possession of something forcefully from someone or something: The duke wrested power from the monarchy.

3. To extract something from someone or something by or as if by force, twisting, or persistent effort: In class I struggled to wrest the meaning from an obscure poem.

See also: wrest

wrest off

v.

To obtain or remove something from someone or something by pulling with violent twisting movements: The thief wrested off the hood ornament from the car. I wrested the car keys off him.

See also: off, wrest

wrest out

v.

1. To obtain something from someone or something by pulling with violent twisting movements: The farmer dug into the soil and wrested out a fresh turnip. The bullies wrested the book out of the little boy's hands and ran off with it.

2. To extract something from someone or something by or as if by force, twisting, or persistent effort: I was finally able to wrest out some meaning from the jumbled essay. The police wrested a confession out of the suspect.

3. To escape from something by pulling with violent twisting movements: The cat wrested out of my arms and jumped to the floor.

See also: out, wrest