wrench from

wrench (someone or something) (away) from (someone or something)

1. To take someone or something away from someone or something by pulling in a violent, wrenching manner. The man has been hailed as a hero for wrenching the gun away from the shooter before anyone was harmed. The officers wrenched my son from me before I had the chance to run.
2. To manage to obtain control or possession of something through some battle, struggle, or conflict with someone or something else. The rebels wrenched power from the dictatorship after five years of war. The political party finally managed to wrench control of congress away from their opponents for the first time in 10 years. You'll have to wrench the kids away from me in the courts.
3. To obtain or extract something, such as information, from someone or something, especially after much difficulty or persistence. We were finally able to wrench some answers from the spy we were interrogating. I've never been able to wrench any meaning away from abstract paintings—they always look just like splatters of paint to me.
See also: wrench
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

wrench something from someone

to grab or twist something out of someone's grasp. The policeman wrenched the gun from Lefty's hand and called for his partner. Max wrenched the wallet from Jed's hand and fled with it.
See also: wrench
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • be/have done with somebody/something
  • be in line with (someone or something)
  • better of
  • (someone or something) promises well
  • begin with
  • begin with (someone or something)
  • bird has flown, the
  • bear off from (someone or something)
  • beware of
  • beware of (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
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Securely and immediately tighten and loosen without removing wrench from pipe.
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Mr Bal followed him, grabbed Martin in a bear hug and snatched the wrench from the intruder.
Burglar hit with wrench by shop owner
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