Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WRITHE, v.t. [Sax. writhan; Sw. vrida; Dan. vrider.]

1. To twist; to distort. Her mouth she writh'd. – Dryden.
2. To twist with violence; as, to writhe the body. – Addison.
3. To wrest; to distort; to torture; as, to writhe with agony. – Addison.