Wrest v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wrested; p. pr. & vb. n. Wresting.]
 1. To turn; to twist; esp., to twist or extort by violence; to pull of force away by, or as if by, violent wringing or twisting.  “The secret wrested from me.”
 Our country's cause,
 That drew our swords, now secret wrests them from our hand.   --Addison.
    They instantly wrested the government out of the hands of Hastings.   --Macaulay.
 2. To turn from truth; to twist from its natural or proper use or meaning by violence; to pervert; to distort.
    Wrest once the law to your authority.   --Shak.
    Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor.   --Ex. xxiii. 6.
    Their arts of wresting, corrupting, and false interpreting the holy text.   --South.
 3. To tune with a wrest, or key.  [Obs.]