Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Wring \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.