unwrung
Definition
Adjective: Not twisted, compressed, or wrung; not subjected to the action of wringing (as in twisting or squeezing to extract liquid). This word is primarily archaic or literary in use.
Usage Examples
- (The fabric was not twisted or squeezed to remove water.)
- (The cord was not twisted or strained.)
Advanced Usage
- "My withers are unwrung": An idiomatic expression from Shakespeare's (Act 3, Scene 2), meaning "I am not affected or troubled by this; my conscience is clear." The phrase refers to a horse's withers (the ridge between the shoulder bones), which are not chafed or sore because the saddle is not pressing. In modern usage, it indicates indifference or lack of guilt.
- When criticized for his decision, he replied, "My withers are unwrung." (He was unaffected by the criticism.)
Variants and Related Words
- Wrung (adj): past participle of "wring" — twisted or squeezed.
- The wrung towel was nearly dry. (The towel had been squeezed tightly.)
- Wring (v): to twist or compress forcefully.
- She wrung the water from the sponge. (She squeezed it to remove liquid.)
Synonyms
- Untwisted: not turned or rotated.
- Unsqueezed: not compressed or pressed.
- Unstrained: not subjected to pressure or twisting.
Related Idioms
- Wring one's hands: to twist the hands together as a gesture of distress or anxiety.
- He wrung his hands as he waited for the news. (He showed nervousness by twisting his hands.)
- Wring something out of: to extract something (e.g., information) with difficulty.
- They tried to wring a confession out of the suspect. (They pressured him to confess.)