5. An instrument, often a simple bar or lever with jaws or an angular
orifice either at the end or between the ends, for exerting a twisting
strain, as in turning bolts, nuts, screw taps, etc.; a screw key. Many
wrenches have adjustable jaws for grasping nuts, etc., of different
sizes.
6. (Mech.) The system made up of a force and a couple of forces in a
plane perpendicular to that force. Any number of forces acting at any
points upon a rigid body may be compounded so as to be equivalent to a
wrench.
Carriage wrench, a wrench adapted for removing or tightening the nuts
that confine the wheels on the axles, or for turning the other nuts or
bolts of a carriage or wagon. — Monkey wrench. See under Monkey. —
Wrench hammer, a wrench with the end shaped so as to admit of being
used as a hammer.
Wrench, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wrenched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Wrenching.]
[OE. wrenchen, AS. wrencan to deceive, properly, to twist, from wrenc
guile, deceit, a twisting. &?;&?;&?;&?;. See Wrench, n.]