# wrench

/ˈɹɛntʃ/ (US) · /ɹˈɛntʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wrench
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to pull or twist violently

verb · CEFR B2

to pull or twist something suddenly and with a lot of force.

For teachers: to pull, strain, or twist something with a sudden, violent motion.

- He managed to wrench the door open after it had been stuck for years.
- The thief attempted to wrench the handbag from her grasp, but she held on until help arrived.

Usage: Often used with 'away', 'off', or 'open'.

### 2. to injure a joint

verb · CEFR B2

to hurt a part of your body, like your ankle or shoulder, by twisting it suddenly.

For teachers: to injure a limb or joint by a sudden and violent twist or strain.

- She wrenched her knee while playing soccer and had to leave the game.
- He wrenched his shoulder during the fall, necessitating several weeks of intensive physical therapy to regain full mobility.

### 3. a hand tool

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

a metal tool used for holding and turning nuts, bolts, or pipes.

For teachers: a hand tool, often adjustable, used for gripping and turning nuts, bolts, or pipes.

- You will need a wrench to tighten the bolts on the bicycle wheel.
- The mechanic reached for a heavy-duty wrench to loosen the rusted pipe fitting under the sink.

Teaching tip: In British English, this tool is more commonly called a 'spanner'.

### 4. emotional sadness

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a feeling of sadness or pain caused by leaving someone or something you love.

For teachers: a feeling of sudden and violent emotional pain or distress, typically caused by a forced separation.

- Leaving his childhood home for the last time was a terrible wrench.
- The sudden departure of the long-serving headmaster was a painful wrench for the entire school community.

### 5. physics/mechanics

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a special way to describe forces and turning movements in physics.

For teachers: a force and a couple whose vector is parallel to the force, representing the most general system of forces acting on a rigid body.

- The professor explained how a wrench represents forces in three-dimensional space.
- In screw theory, any system of forces acting on a rigid body can be reduced to a single wrench acting along a unique axis.

## Examples

- He used a wrench to tighten the loose bolt on the bike.
- The plumber reached into his toolbox for a heavy wrench to loosen the rusted pipe under the sink.
- While a simple wrench suffices for most household repairs, automotive work often requires a calibrated torque wrench to ensure that fasteners are tightened to exact manufacturer specifications.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.