wry
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English [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
Etymology 1 [edit]
From Middle English wryen, wrien, wreon, wrihen, from Old English wrēon (“to cover, clothe, envelop, conceal, hide, protect, defend”), from Proto-Germanic *wrīhaną (“to wrap, cover”), from Proto-Indo-European *wreiḱ- (“to turn, wrap, tie”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to turn, bend”).
Verb [edit]
wry (third-person singular simple present wries, present participle wrying, simple past and past participle wried)
Etymology 2 [edit]
From Middle English wrien, from Old English wrīġian (“to go, turn, twist, bend, strive, struggle, press forward, endeavor, venture”), from Proto-Germanic *wrigōną (“to wriggle”), from Proto-Indo-European *wreiḱ- (“to turn, wrap, tie”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to turn, bend”). Compare awry, wriggle.
Verb [edit]
wry (third-person singular simple present wries, present participle wrying, simple past and past participle wried)
- (obsolete, intransitive) To turn (away); to swerve or deviate.
- (obsolete, transitive) To divert; to cause to turn away.
- (transitive) To twist or contort (the body, face etc.).
Translations [edit]
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Adjective [edit]
wry (comparative wryer or wrier, superlative wryest or wriest)
- Turned away, contorted (of the face or body).
- Dryly humorous; sardonic or ironic.
- Twisted, bent, crooked.
