wrestle

Verb

1. (transitive) To take part in (a wrestling bout or match).
2. (transitive) Sometimes followed by down: to contend with or move (someone) into or out of a position by grappling; also, to overcome (someone) by grappling.
3. (transitive) To move or manipulate (something) using physical effort, usually with some difficulty or opposition.
4. (figuratively, transitive) To engage in (a contest or struggle).
5. (US, Western, transitive) To throw down (a calf or other livestock animal) for branding.
6. (intransitive) To grapple or otherwise contend with an opponent in order to throw or force them to the ground, chiefly as a sport or in unarmed combat.
7. (intransitive) Followed by with: to move or manipulate something using physical effort, usually with some difficulty or opposition.
8. (figuratively, intransitive) To make one's way or move with some difficulty or effort.
9. (figuratively, intransitive) Followed by against or with: to contend, to struggle; to exert effort, to strive.
10. (archaic, figuratively, intransitive) To contend verbally; to argue, to debate, to dispute.
11. (archaic, figuratively, intransitive) To twist or wriggle; to writhe.
12. (archaic, figuratively, intransitive) Followed by with: to concern or occupy oneself closely, or deal with, a task, etc.

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A fight or struggle between people during which they grapple or otherwise contend with each other in order to throw or force their opponent to the ground, chiefly as a sport or in unarmed combat.
2. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) A situation in which people compete with each other; a contest, a struggle.
3. (also, figuratively, uncountable) The action of contending or struggling.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɹɛ.səl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: wrestlen

Inherited from Old English: wræstlian

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: wrosselje

Cognate with Western Frisian: wrakselje

Cognate with Middle Dutch: wrastelen

Cognate with Middle Low German: wrostelen

In summary

The verb is derived from Middle English wrestlen, wrastlen (“to engage in grappling combat or sport, struggle, wrestle; to twist and turn, squirm, wriggle, writhe; (figurative) to contend, grapple with, struggle”), from Old English wrǣstlian (“to wrestle”), a frequentative form of wrǣstan (“to twist, wrest”), from Proto-Germanic *wraistijaną (“to turn; to twist, wrest”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wreyt- (“to twist”). By surface analysis, wrest + -le (frequentative suffix). Probably related to wraxle (UK, dialectal, archaic).
The noun is derived from the verb.
cognates
* Middle Dutch worstelen, wrastelen (“to wrestle”) (modern Dutch worstelen)
* Middle Low German wrostelen (“to wrestle”) (German Low German frösseln, wrösseln)
* Saterland Frisian wrosselje (“to contend, wrestle”)
* West Frisian wrakselje (“to wrestle”)

Synonyms

fight

struggle

grapple

wrestling

🤼

battle

contend

worm

🪱

twist

squirm

combat

wriggle

grappling

war

scuffle

writhe

conflict

strive

tussle

strife

hug

hand-to-hand struggle

scrap

slither

snake

🐍

spiral

tackle

tug-of-war

vie

wage war

wind

wrangle

wreathe

fight against

grapple with

throw down

circumvolute

have a wrestle

wrestle together

agonize

play fight

argue

bandy

bout

brawl

clash

contest

convulse

corkscrew

curl

dogfight

Translations

lutter

luchar

ringen

worstelen

lottare

lutar

παλεύω

lutte traditionnelle

kämpfen

πάλη

αγωνίζομαι

kampen

combattere

lutte

bekämpfen