wry Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite humorously sarcastic or mocking
    dry; ironic; ironical.
    • dry humor
    • an ironic remark often conveys an intended meaning obliquely
    • an ironic novel
    • an ironical smile
    • with a wry Scottish wit
  2. adjective satellite bent to one side
    • a wry neck

WordNet

Wry transitive verb
Etymology
AS. wreón.
Definitions
  1. To cover. Obs.
    Wrie you in that mantle. Chaucer.
Wry adjective
Etymology
Akin to OE. wrien to twist, to bend, AS. wrigian to tend towards, to drive.
Wordforms
comparative Wrier ; superlative Wriest
Definitions
  1. Turned to one side; twisted; distorted; as, a wry mouth.
  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. Wrested; perverted.
    He . . . puts a wry sense upon Protestant writers. Atterbury.
Wry intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To twist; to writhe; to bend or wind.
  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.
Wry transitive verb
Etymology
OE. wrien. See Wry, a.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Wried; present participle & verbal noun Wrying
Definitions
  1. To twist; to distort; to writhe; to wrest; to vex. Sir P. Sidney.
    Guests by hundreds, not one caring If the dear host's neck were wried. R. Browning.

Webster 1913