ppl. a. [f. WREST v. + -ED1.]
1. That has undergone wresting or wringing; twisted. Also transf.
1609. Holland, Ammianus Marcell., 50. Bolts and darts discharged violently from the writhed and wrested strings of a brake or such like engine.
1616. W. Browne, Brit. Past., II. v. 440. A wrested Bryre Onely kept close the gate which led unto it.
a. 1617. Bayne, On Eph. (1658), 72. The ache of a wrested joynt.
1656. J. Smith, Pract. Physick, 320. The Bone may alwaies remain wrested.
2. fig. Deflected or turned from the true meaning or natural application; strained, perverted.
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia (Arb.), 60. The bare wordes of the lawe, or a wrythen and wrested vnderstandinge of the same.
c. 1554. Hooper, in Coverdale, Lett. Mart. (1564), 160. This iudgement of Paul is more to be followed, then al our own fayned and wrested defences.
1559. T. Brice, Reg. Martyrs, July 1557. D ij. When wrested law put him to deth.
1589. Cooper, Admon., 32. So many wrested Scriptures, so many false conclusions.
1615. J. Stephens, Satyr. Ess., 175. For he, wanting the humor of his wrested observance, falles away into ignorant silence.
1687. Atterbury, Answ. Consid. Spirit Luther, 46. Little wrested sentences of authors.
1729. T. Innes, Crit. Essay, I. 330. Wrested texts of the Old Testament.
a. 1743. Savage, To Sir R. Walpole, 133. New courts of censure … Explain’d, at will, each statute’s wrested aim.
1868. J. Bruce, Digby’s Voy. Medit., Pref. p. xv. Opinions … raised upon wrested inferences.
3. Drawn out, taken or acquired, by force.
1565. Cooper, s.v. Cado, Non sponte cadentes lachrymae, wrested teares.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. i. 24. Death me liefer were, then such despight, So vnto wrong to yield my wrested right.
1595. Shaks., John, IV. iii. 254. Vast confusion waites As doth a Rauen on a sicke-falne beast, The iminent decay of wrested pompe.
