wrick

English

Etymology

From Middle English wricken, probably from Middle Dutch wricken (Modern Dutch wrikken (“to wriggle”)) or Middle Low German wricken (“to move jerkily; sprain”), from Proto-Germanic *wrigōną (“to wriggle”), from Proto-Indo-European *wreyḱ- (“to turn, wrap, tie”), from *wer- (“to turn, bend”).

See also Low German wriggen, German Low German wricken (“to row; scull; move back and forth”)). Compare also Danish vrikke (“to move; turn; wriggle”), Swedish vricka (“to sprain; twist; scull”).

Verb

wrick (third-person singular simple present wricks, present participle wricking, simple past and past participle wricked)

1. (dialect) To twist; turn
2. (dialect) To wrench; strain

Noun

wrick (plural wricks)

1. A painful muscular spasm in the neck or back

Synonyms

• crick