WordGarden.iowring
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /rˈɪŋ/
US
- /ˈrɪŋ/
Meanings
Verb
to twist and squeeze cloth or something similar to force out liquid
to force something such as a confession, promise, or money out of someone
Beyond the definition
Imagine you've just washed a heavy towel and need to get the extra water out: you wring it. But "wring" is not only about laundry. It can also mean to twist something hard, and you might "wring your hands" when you are nervous or upset. It can also mean to get something from someone with a lot of effort, like wringing an apology out of a stubborn friend. In a sadder sense, it can describe causing deep emotional pain, as in "His betrayal wrung the joy from her life." At its core, the word is about twisting, squeezing, or forcing something out.
The word "wring" has a long history and comes from Old English roots meaning "to twist." In its most literal sense, wring means to twist and squeeze something, usually to force liquid out. Think of wringing out a wet sponge, a dishcloth, or even your socks after a long hike. "She wrung the water from her hair" gives a clear picture of this physical action.
But "wring" is not limited to getting water out of things. You can wring your hands when you feel anxious, upset, or guilty, twisting them together as a sign of strong emotion. In a harsher and more literal sense, it can also mean to twist a neck with force, as in older or very direct expressions like "He wrung the chicken's neck."
The word also has important figurative uses. To wring something out of someone means to get it only after a lot of pressure or effort. "The detective wrung a confession out of the suspect" suggests that the confession did not come easily. The word can also describe causing deep emotional pain. "His words wrung her heart" suggests sorrow so strong that it feels almost physical. A sentence like "The news wrung the life from him" means the shock left him drained and broken. So whether the subject is wet laundry, a hard-won apology, or deep sadness, wring is a word of force, pressure, and struggle, used both literally and figuratively.
Examples
- 1
Wet clothing
She wrung the rainwater out of her scarf before coming inside.
- 2
Kitchen cleaning
Please wring out the dishcloth and leave it by the sink.
- Phrasewring out
squeeze liquid out by twisting
- 3
Helpless worry
He spent the whole meeting wringing his hands instead of offering a solution.
- Phrasewring your hands
show worry in a helpless way
- 4
Interview pressure
The reporter finally wrung a straight answer out of the mayor.
- Patternwring X out of someone
get it from them with difficulty
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Sports motivation
The coach managed to wring one last effort from the exhausted team.
- Patternwring X from someone
push someone hard to get it from them
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- wringnounverb
Forms
- wringing-ing formverbnoun
- wrungpast tensepast participleverbnoun
- wringspluralnounverb