sprain Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a painful injury to a joint caused by a sudden wrenching of its ligaments
  2. verb twist suddenly so as to sprain
    twist; turn; rick; wrick; wrench.
    • wrench one's ankle
    • The wrestler twisted his shoulder
    • the hikers sprained their ankles when they fell
    • I turned my ankle and couldn't walk for several days

WordNet

Sprain transitive verb
Etymology
OF. espreindreto press, to force out, F. épreindre, fr. L. exprimere. See Express, v. t., and cf. Spraints.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Sprained ; present participle & verbal noun Spraining
Definitions
  1. To weaken, as a joint, ligament, or muscle, by sudden and excessive exertion, as by wrenching; to overstrain, or stretch injuriously, but without luxation; as, to sprain one's ankle.
Sprain noun
Definitions
  1. The act or result of spraining; lameness caused by spraining; as, a bad sprain of the wrist.

Webster 1913