[f. WRING v. + -ING1.]
1. The action of the verb, in various senses; the fact of being wrung.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 5452. Þer was siking…, weping & wringinge for wo at here hertes.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. cxii. (Bodl. MS.). Oile … renneþ þe better and þe clenner oute of þe draffe in the wringinge and pressinge.
1481. [see WRING v. 9 a].
1548. Patten, Exped. Scotl., Pref. c iij. The peynfull wringing of so vneasie a yok.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., To Rdr. He hath but a slight wringing by the eares.
1606. J. Carpenter, Solomon’s Solace, xiv. 57. The wringing of the shoo being knowne to him only which weareth it.
1611. Bible, Prov. xxx. 33. The wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood.
1656. Jeanes, Mixt. Schol. Div., 156. With … wringing of hands, knocking of breasts, tearing of haire.
1706. [see WRESTING vbl. sb. 1].
1718. Chamberlayne, Relig. Philos., I. 54. In this great Length of the Tube of the Bowels … no Body can encrease or diminish the Contractions or Wringings of the same.
1782. V. Knox, Ess., clxiv. (1819), III. 224. That wringing of the hands, beating of the breast.
1853. Dickens, Bleak Ho., lv. Her broken words, and her wringing of her hands.
1854. R. S. Surtees, Handley Cr., iv. The wringing of turkeys’ necks.
b. fig. The action of wresting or taking forcefully; extortion.
1589. Pasquil’s Ret., C ij. Ready to suffer wrong without wringing of reuenge out of Gods hand.
1607. Cowell, Interpr., Extortion,… an vnlawfull … wringing of mony or mony worth from any man.
1611. [see WRESTING vbl. sb. 1 c].
c. With advs., as out, up.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 19. The wringing out of grapes to her husband.
1730. Bailey (fol.), Extortion, an unlawful … wringing out of money … from any person.
1839. De la Beche, Rep. Geol. Cornwall, etc. xi. 343. The miner … terms such points … of contact a nipping-in or wringing-up of the lode.
2. The action of squeezing or pressing water or moisture out of clothes, etc.; † the personal service of doing such. Also in fig. context.
1560. Wills & Invent. N. C. (Surtees, 1835), 191. To find hym fyre and a chamber with all wessyng wry[n]ginge and one to help hym one with his clothes and of.
1587. Sc. Acts, Jas. VI. (1814), III. 508/1. Meit drink clething bedding wesching and wringing.
1626–7. Knaresb. Wills (Surtees), II. 92. My keepinge with … washinge, wringinge and other necessaryes during my life.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Love Unknown, 16. My heart … in a font … was dipt and di’d, And washt, and wrung: the very wringing yet Enforceth tears.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., ix. Breakfast shall be on the board in the wringing of a dishclout.
1845. G. Dodd, Brit. Manuf., IV. 96. The wringing [of wool] … is … effected thus.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2822/1. The ordinary wringing injures fine apparel.
† 3. A griping or wringing pain, esp. in the intestines. Obs.
c. 1550. H. Lloyd, Treas. Health, L iv. The rynde of the pyne apple tree … doth … take awaye the wryngyng of the bely.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 235. The gryping paynes and wringings of the bellie.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 445. The torments and wringing of the cholique.
1607. [see WRESTING vbl. sb. 2].
1671. Salmon, Syn. Med., I. 83. The wringing of the Guts.
1721. Bailey, To Verminate,… to have a griping or wringing in the Belly.
† b. The action or fact of feeling remorse, apprehension or mistrust; an instance of this. Obs.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. ii. 28. Doubts, wringing of the Conscience, Feares and despaires.
1633. Fletcher & Shirley, Nt. Walker, V. i. No wringings in your mind now, as you love me.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), IV. 36. He beheld her, in the wringings of penitential desolation. Ibid., 41. The weight and wringing that was then at his heart.
4. Perversion; = WRESTING vbl. sb. 2. ? Obs.
1565. Calfhill, Answ. Martiall, v. 127. Hys wordes without wringing or wresting at all, be taken … to importe much lesse.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 279. Wordes in the Gospell, which (by wringyng and wrestyng) you doe accustome to force to your purpose.
a. 1614. D. Dyke, Myst. Selfe-Deceiuing (1630), 222. Diuers such like wringings of Scripture.
1852. Mrs. Jameson, Leg. Madonna, 325. Without any wringing of the text for an especial purpose.
5. concr. In pl., that which is wrung out. Also fig.
1867. Denison, Astron. without Math., 168. That great law … prevents the whole earth and the sea … from flying in pieces like the wringings of a mop.
1886. Browning, in Maggs’ Catal., March (1897), 48. The ‘quality of lying is not strained’ in this particular case, but droppeth ‘as should the wringings of a felon brain for the sake of a dollar.’
6. attrib., as † wringing point; wringing-machine, a machine for wringing clothes, etc., after washing; a wringer.
1637. Walton, in Wotton, Reliq. (1651), 166. Then was Stigand, the Metropolitan,… fairly deposed, being too stiffe for the times: which was indeed the wringing point.
1833. Loudon, Encycl. Archit., § 698. A washing and wringing machine.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, 417. Wringing-machine Maker.
