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Entry 7 senses · 4 variants Webster, 1913

Wry

/rī/ · IPA /ɹaɪ/
01 v. t. To cover.
  1. 1.
    To cover.[Obs.]
    “Wrie you in that mantle.” — Chaucer.
02 a. Turned to one side; twisted; distorted; as, a wry mouth.
  1. 1.
    Turned to one side; twisted; distorted; as, a wry mouth.
  2. 2.
    Hence, deviating from the right direction; misdirected; out of place; as, wry words.
    “Not according to the wry rigor of our neighbors, who never take up an old idea without some extravagance in its application.” — Landor.
  3. 3.
    Wrested; perverted.
    “He . . . puts a wry sense upon Protestant writers.” — Atterbury.
Phrases & compounds
Wry face — a distortion of the countenance indicating impatience, disgust, or discomfort; a grimace.
03 v. i. To twist; to writhe; to bend or wind.
  1. 1.
    To twist; to writhe; to bend or wind.
  2. 2.
    To deviate from the right way; to go away or astray; to turn side; to swerve.
    “This Phebus gan awayward for to wryen.” — Chaucer.
    “How many Must murder wives much better than themselves For wrying but a little!” — Shak.
04 v. t. To twist; to distort; to writhe; to wrest; to vex.
imp. & p. p. Wried; p. pr. & vb. n. Wrying
  1. 1.
    To twist; to distort; to writhe; to wrest; to vex.
    “Guests by hundreds, not one caring If the dear host's neck were wried.” — R. Browning.