\Wring\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wrung}, Obs. {Wringed}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Wringing}.] [OE. wringen, AS. wringan; akin to
LG. & D. wringen, OHG. ringan to struggle, G. ringen, Sw.
vr["a]nga to distort, Dan. vringle to twist. Cf. {Wrangle},
{Wrench}, {Wrong}.]
1. To twist and compress; to turn and strain with violence;
   to writhe; to squeeze hard; to pinch; as, to wring clothes
   in washing. ``Earnestly wringing Waverley's hand.'' --Sir
   W. Scott. ``Wring him by the nose.'' --Shak.
         [His steed] so sweat that men might him wring.
                                               --Chaucer.
         The king began to find where his shoe did wring him.
                                               --Bacon.
         The priest shall bring it [a dove] unto the altar,
         and wring off his head.               --Lev. i. 15.
2. Hence, to pain; to distress; to torment; to torture.
         Too much grieved and wrung by an uneasy and strait
         fortune.                              --Clarendon.
         Didst thou taste but half the griefs That wring my
         soul, thou couldst not talk thus coldly. --Addison.
3. To distort; to pervert; to wrest.
         How dare men thus wring the Scriptures? --Whitgift.
4. To extract or obtain by twisting and compressing; to
   squeeze or press (out); hence, to extort; to draw forth by
   violence, or against resistance or repugnance; -- usually
   with out or form.
         Your overkindness doth wring tears from me. --Shak.
         He rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the
         fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the
         fleece.                               --Judg. vi.
                                               38.
5. To subject to extortion; to afflict, or oppress, in order
   to enforce compliance.
         To wring the widow from her 'customed right. --Shak.
         The merchant adventures have been often wronged and
         wringed to the quick.                 --Hayward.
6. (Naut.) To bend or strain out of its position; as, to
   wring a mast.

\Wring\, v. i.
To writhe; to twist, as with anguish.
      'T is all men's office to speak patience To those that
      wring under the load of sorrow.          --Shak.
      Look where the sister of the king of France Sits
      wringing of her hands, and beats her breast. --Marlowe.

\Wring\, n.
A writhing, as in anguish; a twisting; a griping. [Obs.]
--Bp. Hall.