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wrestle

Syllabification: (wres·tle)
Pronunciation: /ˈresəl/
Translate wrestle | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of wrestle

verb

[no object]
  • 1take part in a fight, either as a sport or in earnest, that involves grappling with one’s opponent and trying to throw or force them to the ground:as the policeman wrestled with the gunman a shot rang out
  • [with object] force (someone) into a particular position by grappling with them or trying to throw to the ground:the security guards wrestled them to the ground
  • [with object] move or manipulate (something) in a specified way with difficulty and some physical effort:she wrestled the keys out of the ignition
  • 2struggle with a difficulty or problem:for over a year David wrestled with a guilty conscience

noun

[in singular]
  • 1a wrestling bout or contest:a wrestle to the death
  • 2a hard struggle:a lifelong wrestle with depression

Derivatives

wrestler

Pronunciation: /ˈres(ə)lər/
noun

Origin:

Old English, frequentative of wrǣstan 'wrest'

wrestle in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of wrestle in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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