m. I. a trick, artifice, wile, stratagem :-- On swá hwylcum wrence (arte) worda ǽnig swerige, Scint. 136, 18. Wrencum modis. Wrt. Voc. ii. 57, 61. Ðæt lease lot, ðe beoþ mid ðám wrencum bewrigen fraus, mendaci compta colore. Bt. 4; Fox 8, 17: Met. 4, 47. Tó fela manna wearð mid þyllícan wrencan þurh deofol forlǽred, Wulfst. 54, 12. Tógeánes ðæs deófles wrencum, 198, 12. Ðá sceolde Ælfríc lǽdan ða fyrde, ac hé teáh forð ðá his ealdan wrenceas, . . . gebrǽd hé hine seócne, Chr. 1003 ; Erl. 139, 7. I a. a stratagem in war :-- Hé hié mid ðæm ilcan wrence beswác, ðe hé æt heora ǽrran métingge dyde, Ors. 4, 9; Swt. 188, 32 : 6, 36; Swt. 294, 21. Siþþan Rómáne gesáwan ðæt him mon swelcne wrenc tó dyde, ðá flugon hié, 4, 1; Swt. 156, 8. II. a modulation of the voice :-- Biþ ðæs hleóðres swég eallum songcræftum swétra, and wynsumra wrenca gehwylcum, Exon. Th. 206, 28; Ph. 133. Ic þurh múþ sprece mongum reordum, wrencum singe (vox mea diversis variatur pulcra figuris), . . . ic búgendre stefne styrme, 390, 15; Rä. 9, 2. [Þurh his micele wrences beiæt he þone ærcebiscoprice, Chr. 1127; Erl. 156, 1. Gif þærwære an unwreste wrenc ꝥ he mihte get beswicen anes Crist, 1131; Erl. 260, 4. Paris mid pret wrence biwon Elene, Laym. 81. Þis sacrament unwrihð his (the devil's) wrenches, A. R. 270, 10. Swikele men and ful of vuele wrenche, Misc. 66, 247. With wrenkes and wyles, Pr. C. 1360. He (a wrestler) can his wrenches wel forhele, O. and N. 798. Þis is þe soþe wei, withouten eny wrenche, R. Glouc. 55, 2. His wyly wrenches enon ne mayst nat flee, Chauc. Ch. Y. T. 1081. Wrenche or sleythe of falsheed dolositas, fraudulencia, cautela, Prompt. ParGer. rank a trick.]