First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1wrestle
verb wres·tle \ˈre-səl, ˈra-\
: to fight (someone) by holding and pushing instead of by hitting, kicking, or punching
: to fight in the sport of wrestling
: to struggle to move, deal with, or control something
wres·tledwres·tling \ˈres-liŋ, ˈras-; ˈre-səl-iŋ, ˈra-\
Full Definition of WRESTLE
intransitive verb
1
: to contend by grappling with and striving to trip or throw an opponent down or off balance
2
: to combat an opposing tendency or force <wrestling with his conscience>
3
: to engage in deep thought, consideration, or debate
4
: to engage in or as if in a violent or determined struggle <wrestling with cumbersome luggage>
transitive verb
1
a : to engage in (a match, bout, or fall) in wrestling b : to wrestle with <wrestle an alligator>
2
: to move, maneuver, or force with difficulty
— wres·tler \ˈres-lər, ˈras-; ˈre-səl-ər, ˈra-\ noun
See wrestle defined for English-language learners
See wrestle defined for kids
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Origin of WRESTLE
Middle English wrastlen, wrestlen, from Old English wrǣstlian, frequentative of wrǣstan
2wrestle
noun
Definition of WRESTLE
First Known Use of WRESTLE
1593
WRESTLE Defined for Kids
1wrestle
verb wres·tle \ˈre-səl\
wres·tledwres·tling
Definition of WRESTLE for Kids
1
: to fight by grasping and attempting to turn, trip, or throw down an opponent or to prevent the opponent from being able to move
2
: to struggle to deal with <He's wrestling with a problem.>
— wres·tler \ˈre-slər\ noun
2wrestle
noun
Definition of WRESTLE for Kids
: 2struggle 1
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