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”)
And novv Ptolemais being to vvreſtle her laſt fall, ſtripped her ſelf of all cumberſome clothes: vvomen, children, aged perſons, vveak folks […] vvere ſent avvay; […]1639, Thomas Fuller, “Ptolemais Besieged, and Taken by Sultan Serapha”, in The Historie of the Holy Warre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck, one of the printers to the Universitie of Cambridge [and sold by John Williams, London], →OCLC, book IV, page 226:
Hark thee, friend, […] wilt thou wrestle a fall with me?1816, Jedadiah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], chapter IV, in Tales of My Landlord, […], volume II (Old Mortality), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for William Blackwood, […]; London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 81:
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Have we not wrestled a turn before now?1825 June 22, [Walter Scott], “Conclusion”, in Tales of the Crusaders. […], volume II (The Betrothed), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 351:
Where is Kerkuon [Cercyon of Eleusis], the king of the city? I must wrestle a fall with him to-day.1855, Charles Kingsley, “Story III—Theseus: Part II: How Theseus Slew the Devourers of Men”, in The Heroes: Or Greek Fairy Tales for My Children, London; Glasgow: Blackie and Son, →OCLC, page 179:
2
Sometimes followed by down: to contend with or move (someone) into or out of a position by grappling; also, to overcome (someone) by grappling.
My driver at the second station was a stout girl of twenty, strong enough to wrestle any man, but shy, modest, and gentle.1881, Paul B[elloni] Du Chaillu, chapter V, in The Land of the Midnight Sun: Summer and Winter Journeys through Sweden, Norway, Lapland, and Northern Finland. […], volume II, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 51:
Tunisia dug in to frustrate England in the second half but [Harry] Kane was the match-winner with a late header from Harry Maguire's flick, justice being done after referee Wilmar Roldan and the video assistant referee (VAR) had failed to spot him being wrestled to the ground twice in the penalty area.2018 June 18, Phil McNulty, “Tunisia 1 – 2 England”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 21 Apr 2019:
3
To move or manipulate (something) using physical effort, usually with some difficulty or opposition.
I couldn't wrestle the trunk down the hall.
And, wrestling both his arms into a gown, / He paused and took a survey up and down.1821 August 8, [Lord Byron], Don Juan, Cantos III, IV, and V, London: […] Thomas Davison, […], →OCLC, canto V, stanza LXXVIII, page 174:
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And his brother, Robert, beat me to the ground along with Damon, I carried Damon down with me and when I got Damon to the floor I shot him and wrestled his pistol out of his hand and threw it in a corner and after that Robert wrestled my pistol out of my hand and held it on me and I asked what was going on here with you people, I said, 'You are crazy.'1966 August 23, Aubrey M. Cates, Jr., Judge of the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, quoting Jimmy Glen Knight, witness, “Hubert Damon Strange v. State [of Alabama]”, in Southern Reporter: Cases Argued and Determined in the Courts of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi (Second Series), volume 197, St. Paul, Minn.: West Publishing Company, published 1967, →OCLC, page 439, column 1:
Federal Reserve officials raised interest rates to their highest level in 22 years and left the door open to further action as they continued their 16-month campaign to wrestle inflation lower by cooling the American economy.2023 July 26, Jeanna Smialek, “Fed raises rates after a pause and leaves door open to more”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 Apr 2025:
4
Figuratively To engage in (a contest or struggle).
5
US, Western To throw down (a calf or other livestock animal) for branding.
6
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.
Wreſtell nat with me for I wyll throwe the [thee] on thy backe […]1530 July 28 (Gregorian calendar), Iohan Palsgraue [i.e., John Palsgrave], “The Table of Verbes”, in Lesclarcissement de la langue francoyse⸝ […], [London]: […] [Richard Pynson] fynnysshed by Iohan Haukyns, →OCLC, 3rd boke, folio ccclxxxix, verso, column 1; reprinted Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, October 1972, →OCLC:
[Y]ee gaue their diligẽce [diligence] to lerne to fight, to wriſtle, to leape, to daunce, ⁊ to put at yͤ ſtone: […]1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, 2 Macchabees iiij:[14], folio lxxv, verso:
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She [a manatee] woolde oftentymes play and wreſtle vppon the banke with the kynges chamberlens: And eſpecially with a younge man whom the kynge fauoured well, beinge alſo accuſtomed to feede her.1555, Peter Martyr of Angleria [i.e., Peter Martyr d’Anghiera], “The Eyghte Booke of the Thirde Decade”, in Rycharde Eden [i.e., Richard Eden], transl., The Decades of the Newe Worlde or West India, […], London: […] [Rycharde Jug for] Guilhelmi Powell, →OCLC, 3rd decade, folio 131, verso:
Actiue they are in all things, whether it be to wraſtle in the games of Olympia, or to fight at Barriers in Paleſtra, able to cary as great burthens as Milo [of Croton], of ſthrength to throwe as bigge ſtones as Turnus, and what not, […]1580, Iohn Lyly [i.e., John Lyly], “Euphues Glasse for Europe”, in Euphues and His England. […], London: […] [Thomas East] for Gabriell Cawood, […], →OCLC, folio 116, verso:
[H]eere at the Pythique games, the manner is to bring in certeine champions at every ſeverall game or plaie: firſt boies to vvreſtle, and after them, men-vvreſtlers alſo; […]1603, Plutarch, “The Second Booke of the Symposiaques”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Philosophie, Commonlie Called, The Morals […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield, →OCLC, question 5, page 673:
VVe vvraſtle not (after your Shepheards guiſe) / For painted Sheep-hooks, or ſuch pettie Prize, / Or for a Cage, a Lamb, or bread and cheeſe: / The Vanquiſht Head muſt be the Victors Fees.1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “[Du Bartas His Second Weeke, […]. David. […].] The Tropheis. The First Booke of the Fourth Day of the Second Week, of Bartas.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 521:
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Followed by with: to move or manipulate something using physical effort, usually with some difficulty or opposition.
It fits Ioues ſonne / VVraſtle vvith Lyons, and to tugge vvith Beares, / Grapple vvith Dragons, and incounter VVhales.1613, Thomas Heywood, The Silver Age, […], London: […] Nicholas Okes, and are to be sold by Beniamin Lightfoote […], →OCLC, Act III, signature G, recto:
But 'tis a thing of saintlier nature, / Amidst her friends of pigmy stature, / To see the maid in youth's fair bloom, / A guardian sister's charge assume, / […] / With her in mimick war they wrestle; / Beneath her twisted robe they nestle; […]1821, Joanna Baillie, “The Legend of Lady Griseld Baillie”, in Metrical Legends of Exalted Characters, London: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], →OCLC, stanza XXXII, page 234:
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I've spent this whole morning rassling with that dumb horse, Sam …1940, Laura Ingalls Wilder, “Fair Weather”, in The Long Winter, uniform edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, published 1953 (1968 printing), →ISBN, page 155:
Miss Reba turned to Boon again. "What you been doing? wrassling with hogs?" / "We got in a mudhole back down the road. We drove up. The automobile's outside now."1962 June 4, William Faulkner, chapter V, in The Reivers: A Reminiscence, New York, N.Y.: Random House, →OCLC, page 101:
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Figuratively To make one's way or move with some difficulty or effort.
[S]o great a ſtorme of vvind and raine beat vpon vs that vvee not only loſt our vvay, but our ſelues, and at length vvraſtled to Geer, hauing firſt paſt through the Straits of Mozendram.1634, T[homas] H[erbert], “A Description of Spawhawn”, in A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […] William Stansby, and Jacob Bloome, →OCLC, page 93:
[T]hy Lips, […] their tvvo-leav'd Door / So cloſe they ſhut, that […] not Breath it ſelfe, has povver to bore / Its vvay, but forced is to goe about, / And through the Noſes Sluces vvreſtle out.1648, Joseph Beaumont, “Canto XVII. The Mortification. Stanza 171.”, in Psyche: Or Loves Mysterie, […], London: […] John Dawson for George Boddington, […], →OCLC, page 327, column 2:
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These fires are or were singularly destructive in villages—the flames running from thatch to thatch, and, as they express it, ‘wrastling’ across the intervening spaces.1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], “The Village—the Washpool—Village Industries—the Belfry—Jackdaws—Village Chronicles”, in Wild Life in a Southern County […], London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 83:
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Figuratively Followed by against or with: to contend, to struggle; to exert effort, to strive.
Put on the arms of our god⸝ that ye maye ſtonde ſtedfaſt agaynſt the crafty aſſautes off the devyll. For we wreſtle not agaynſt fleſſhe and bloud: but agaynſt ruele⸝ agaynſt power⸝ and agaynſt worldy ruelars of the darcknes of this worlde⸝ agaynſt ſpretuall wickednes in hevenly thyngꝭ [thyngis].1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Ephesians vj:[12], folio cclix, recto:
For kyng Henry [VI], diſcended of the houſe of Lancaſtre, claymyng the croune from kyng Henry the .iiii. his graund father, firſt author of this diuiſion: and Rychard duke of Yorke, as heyre to Lionell, the third ſonne to kyng Edward the third: wreſteled for the game, and ſtroue for the wager.a. 1548 (date written), Edward Hall, Richard Grafton, “[The Troubleous Season of Kyng Henry the Sixt.] The .XXXII. Yere.”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke, […], London: […] Rychard Grafton, […] [and Steven Mierdman], published 1550, →OCLC, folio lxxxv, recto:
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And thus go theſe Prelates about to vvreſtle for honour, that it may be reported abroad, that vve breed hereſies againſt ourſelves.1549 April 7 (Gregorian calendar), Hugh Latimer, “Sermon VIII. Being the Fourth Sermon Preached before King Edward VI. March the Twenty Ninth.”, in The Sermons of the Right Reverend Father in God, Master Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester. […], volume I, London: […] J. Scott, […], published 1758, →OCLC, page 132:
[T]hey their ſhips in marble ſeas with ores dyd wraſtlyng towe.1557 December 13 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Virgil, “The Seuenth Booke”, in Thomas Phaer, transl., The Seuen First Bookes of the Eneidos of Virgill, Conuerted in Englishe Meter […], London: […] Ihon Kyngston, for Richard Jugge, […], published 7 June 1558 (Gregorian calendar), →OCLC, signature S.ij., verso:
[I]f it be a difficult piece of vvorke to vvreſtle vvith the bellie, vvhich (as Cato [the Elder] vvas vvont to ſay) hath no eares; vve muſt vvorke another feat and device vvith it; namely, by obſerving the quality of the viands, to make the quantity more light and leſſe offenſive: […]1603, Plutarch, “Rules and Precepts of Health in Maner of a Dialogue”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Philosophie, Commonlie Called, The Morals […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield, →OCLC, question 5, page 620:
[…] I vvould haue the Reader to remember, that I haue in this vvorke vvraſtled vvith that envious and ravenous enemy, Time, […]1610, William Camden, “A Chronicle of the Kings of Man”, in Philémon Holland, transl., Britain, or A Chorographicall Description of the Most Flourishing Kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Ireland, […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press for] Georgii Bishop & Ioannis Norton, →OCLC, page 233:
[B]ecause […] they were loath to wrestle with the people, or force them from dangerous customs, they came from that supine negligence, in tolerating prayer for the dead, to establish a doctrinal point of purgatory; […]1626 May 31 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar), John Donne, “Sermon LXXVII. Preached at St. Paul’s, May 21, 1626.”, in Henry Alford, editor, The Works of John Donne, D.D., […], volume III, London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 400:
But God (vvhen pleaſeth him) doth giue this ſtrength to man, / VVhereby he ſtandeth ſtout; euen like a mightie rocke / Amid the mounting vvaues vvhen Eole [Aeolus] doth vnlocke / Sterne Auſters ſtormie gate, making the vvaters vvraſtle / And ruſh vvith vvrathfull rage againſt the ſturdie caſtle, […]1608, [Odet de La Noue, Sieur de Téligny], translated by Iosuah Syluester, “The Profit of Imprisonment. A Paradox, […]”, in W. Salustius, Lord of Bartas, translated by Josuah Sylvester, Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 798:
He saw the glebe land guiltless of a furrow; / He saw the wild oats wrestle on the hill; / He saw the gopher working in his burrow; / He saw the squirrel scampering at his will;— […]1869 April, Bret Harte, “[Spanish Idyls and Legends.] Friar Pedro’s Ride.”, in Complete Poetical Works (The Works of Bret Harte; VIII), Argonaut edition, New York, N.Y.: P[eter] F[enelon] Collier & Son, published 1, →OCLC, page 99:
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Archaic, Figuratively Followed by with: to concern or occupy oneself closely, or deal with, a task, etc.
Our hope is, that the yong Studient, vvho heretofore meeting at the firſt, and vvraſtling vvith as difficult termes and matter, as in many yeares after, vvas at the firſt diſcouraged (as many haue bin) may be reading theſe Inſtitutes, haue the difficultie and darkeneſſe both of the Matter and of the Termes and VVords of Art in the beginnings of his Studie facilitated, and explained vnto him, to the end hee may proceed in his Studie cheerefully, and vvith delight; […]1628, Edw[ard] Coke, “Prœmium”, in The First Part of the Institutes of the Lawes of England. […], London: […] [Adam Islip] for the Societe of Stationers, →OCLC:
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”)
1
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.
[I]n a VVreſtle the Giant [Gogmagog] catching aloft, vvith a terrible hugg broke three of his Ribs: nevertheleſs Corineus enrag'd, heaving him up by main force, and on his Shoulders bearing him to the next high Rock, threvv him headlong all ſhatter'd into the Sea, and left his name on the Cliff, call'd ever ſince Langoëmagog, vvhich is to ſay, the Giants leap.1670, John Milton, “The [First] Book”, in The History of Britain, that Part Especially now Call’d England. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for James Allestry, […] , →OCLC, pages 13–14:
Beyond the tilt-yard spread the larger space, / For the strong wrestle and the breathless race; […]1848, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], “Book I”, in King Arthur. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, stanza LXXVI, page 28:
2
Figuratively A situation in which people compete with each other; a contest, a struggle.
Both parties in the wrestle professing earnest wishes of peace to us, what have we to do with it except answer earnestly, "Peace, yes certainly," and mind our affairs elsewhere. The British Nation has no concern with that indispensable sorrowful and shameful wrestle now going on everywhere in foreign parts.1850 April 1, Thomas Carlyle, “No. III. Downing Street.”, in Latter-Day Pamphlets, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, page 76:
The body politic, which, while it remained in repose, had presented a superficial appearance of health and vigour, was not under the necessity of straining every nerve in a wrestle for life or death, and was immediately found to be unequal to the exertion.1851, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XI, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume III, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 62:
3
Also, Figuratively The action of contending or struggling.
War in Italy, universal spasm of wrestle there, being now the expectation of foolish mankind.1858, Thomas Carlyle, “Double-marriage Shall Be or Shall Not Be”, in History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great, volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book VI, page 118: