Wrester

[f. as prec. + -ER¹.]

  1.  One who wrests or wrenches; a twister; † one who tunes with a wrest.

1504.  Cornishe, in Skelton’s Wks. (1568), Z vj. Any Instrument mystunyd shall hurt a trew song; Yet blame not the claricord y^e wrester doth wrong.

1552.  Huloet, s.v., Wryste or wrythe, extorqueo. Wryster and wrynger, idem.

1611.  Cotgr., Retordeur,… a wrester, a retorter, a wrier backe.

  † b.  An implement for picking locks. Obs.^–1

1591.  Greene, 2nd Pt. Conny-Catch., Wks. (Grosart), X. 86. The Picklocke is called a Charme. He that watcheth, a Stond. Their engins, Wresters.

  2.  One who wrests, strains or deflects the meaning or application of words, etc.; a perverter, distorter.

1533.  More, Conf. Tindale, Wks. 524/1. A false wryther and wrester of holy scripture.

1560.  Jewell, Answ. to Cole, I vi. A falsarie, a wrester, a corrupter of the Doctoures.

1598.  R. Bernard, trans. Terence, Phormio, II. ii. A troubler of good men, and a wrester of lawes.

1629.  H. Burton, Truth’s Triumph, 348. All such wresters and peruerters of the truth.

1673.  Hickeringill, Greg. F. Greyb., 310. Antick Foppish Jugglers, and wresters of Holy Writ.

1711.  Atterbury, Serm. (1734), III. 287. In the first of these Senses,… these Wresters of it Bent and Warped the streight Line and Measure of their Duty.

1891.  W. C. Wilkinson, Epic of Saul, I. 21. Those wresters of the law must feel the law.

  transf.  1589.  Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. vii. (Arb.), 166. To forbid all manner of figuratiue speaches … as meere illusions to the minde, and wresters of vpright iudgement.