v. wran·gled, wran·gling, wran·gles v.intr. 1. To quarrel noisily or angrily. See Synonyms at argue. 2. a. To grasp and maneuver something. b. To attempt to deal with or understand something; contend or struggle: "In the lab ... students wrangle with the nature of discovery" (Laura Pappano). v.tr. 1. To win or obtain by argument: wrangle a free ticket to a show. 2. a. To manage or herd (horses or cattle). b. To manage or control (something, especially an animal), as on a movie set: wrangled the snakes that were used in the horror movie. 3. To grasp and maneuver (something); wrestle: "the especially agile ironworkers whose task was to snatch steel from the sky as it came sailing in on the boom of the derrick, then wrangle it into the building's frame" (Jim Rasenberger). n. 1. The act of wrangling. 2. An angry, noisy argument or dispute. [Middle English wranglen, of Middle Low German origin; see wer-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots. V., tr., sense 2, back-formation from wrangler, cowhand in charge of horses, horse herder.] wrangler n. |
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