wrench
/rentʃ/ (bre, ipa) · /rentʃ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈrench/ (ame, mw)
wrench — verb
- wrenchpresent simple I / you / we / they
- wrencheshe / she / it
- wrenchedpast simple
- wrenching-ing form
1. to grasp something and pull it free with a sudden, forceful twist
to grasp something and pull it free with a sudden, forceful twist
Nellie wrenched the rusty handle off the old garden gate.
wrench + NP + off + NP
The firefighters wrenched the car door open to reach the trapped driver.
wrench + NP + open
Marco wrenched the wet towel out of his little sister's hands.
A sudden gust of wind wrenched the umbrella from Liang's grip.
Obi grabbed the chain and wrenched it until the padlock snapped.
文法句型
wrench + NP + off/from/out of + NP
wrench + NP + free/open
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (扭傷): this sense describes pulling objects free, not injuring body parts. The action is always forceful and sudden — for gentle turning, use 'twist'.
常見錯誤
2. to hurt a joint or muscle by turning it too sharply or too far
to hurt a joint or muscle by turning it too sharply or too far
Defne wrenched her knee while climbing over the fence last night.
wrench + body part (knee)
Joaquín wrenched his ankle stepping off the bus in the rain.
Adina's shoulder was badly wrenched when she tried to lift the sofa.
Rohan wrenched his wrist catching himself during a bad fall.
Amihan wrenched her neck looking up at the tall cathedral ceiling.
文法句型
wrench + body part (knee, ankle, shoulder, wrist, neck)
用法筆記
The object is always a body part — typically a joint such as the ankle, knee, wrist, shoulder, or neck. 'Wrench' describes soft-tissue injury (ligaments or muscles), not a broken bone.
常見錯誤
3. to tear someone away from the people they care about, causing great sorrow
to tear someone away from the people they care about, causing great sorrow
The war wrenched Abigail from her family for almost five years.
wrench + NP + from + NP (emotional separation)
Madison was wrenched away from her village when the soldiers arrived.
passive: be wrenched away from + NP
The sudden transfer wrenched Maja away from everyone she had grown up with.
The elderly doctor was wrenched by the memory of being sent away to boarding school.
- tear apart
similar emotional force but more often used for relationships ending
- uproot
emphasises being removed from a familiar place or community
- separate
neutral term; lacks the emotional weight of 'wrench'
文法句型
wrench + NP + from + NP
be wrenched (away) from + NP
be wrenched by + NP
用法筆記
Often used in the passive. The subject is typically an event or external force — war, disaster, a transfer, circumstances — not a person. Distinguish from sense 1 (physical pulling): this sense is entirely about emotional pain caused by separation.
wrench — noun
- wrenchsingular
- wrenchesplural
1. a quick, sharp pull that also turns or twists whatever is being pulled
a quick, sharp pull that also turns or twists whatever is being pulled
Nellie gave the stuck bolt one hard wrench and it finally came free.
give + NP + a + wrench
With one strong wrench, Marco pulled the post out of the ground.
The handle came off in Liang's hand after a single sharp wrench.
Obi freed the jammed window by giving the frame a hard wrench.
用法筆記
Usually appears in phrases like 'give something a wrench' or 'with a wrench'. Describes a single forceful action, not a continuous process.
2. a metal hand tool with an adjustable jaw, used for gripping and turning nuts, bo
a metal hand tool with an adjustable jaw, used for gripping and turning nuts, bolts, and pipes
Defne reached for a wrench to tighten the loose nut under the sink.
collocation: reach for a wrench
Joaquín keeps a wrench and a screwdriver in the boot of his car.
Rohan bought a shiny new set of wrenches for his plumbing course.
Adina used an adjustable wrench to fix the leaking bathroom pipe.
- spanner
British English term for the same tool
- monkey wrench
another name for an adjustable wrench, especially in American English
- pliers
similar gripping tool but with a scissor-like action rather than a fixed jaw
用法筆記
Called a 'spanner' in British English. An adjustable wrench (also called a monkey wrench) has a movable jaw that can be set to different sizes.
常見錯誤
3. the sharp sadness of being separated from someone or somewhere you love
the sharp sadness of being separated from someone or somewhere you love
Abigail found leaving her home village after the wedding a real wrench.
phrase: a real wrench
Madison felt a painful wrench saying goodbye to the children at the airport.
The move overseas caused Maja a wrench she still feels years later.
For the elderly priest, it was a wrench to leave the parish he had served for thirty years.
- heartbreak
stronger and more permanent; often used for romantic loss
- pang
a brief, sharp feeling of emotional pain; less severe than 'wrench'
- sorrow
general term for sadness; lacks the specific link to separation
用法筆記
Often preceded by 'a real', 'a bit of a', or 'quite a'. Commonly used in phrases like 'it was a wrench to leave' or 'leaving was a wrench'.