v. t. To wrestle with; to seek to throw down as in wrestling. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Wrestled p. pr. & vb. n. Wrestling ] [ OE. wrestlen, wrastlen, AS. wr&unr_;stlian, freq. of wr&unr_;stan to wrest; akin to OD. wrastelen to wrestle. See Wrest, v. t. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To contend, by grappling with, and striving to trip or throw down, an opponent; as, they wrestled skillfully. [ 1913 Webster ]

To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for my credit, and he that escapes me without some broken limb shall acquit him well. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Another, by a fall in wrestling, started the end of the clavicle from the sternum. Wiseman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, to struggle; to strive earnestly; to contend. [ 1913 Webster ]

Come, wrestle with thy affections. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

We wrestle not against flesh and blood. Eph. vi. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

Difficulties with which he had himself wrestled. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A struggle between two persons to see which will throw the other down; a bout at wrestling; a wrestling match; a struggle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whom in a wrestle the giant catching aloft, with a terrible hug broke three of his ribs. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. wr&aemacr_;stlere. ] One who wrestles; one who is skillful in wrestling. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Act of one who wrestles; specif., the sport consisting of the hand-to-hand combat between two unarmed contestants who seek to throw each other. The various styles of wrestling differ in their definition of a fall and in the governing rules. In
Greco-Roman wrestling, tripping and taking hold of the legs are forbidden, and a fall is gained (that is, the bout is won), by the contestant who pins both his opponent's shoulders to the ground. In
catch-as-catch-can wrestling, all holds are permitted except such as may be barred by mutual consent, and a fall is defined as in Greco-Roman style.
Lancashire style wrestling is essentially the same as catch-as-catch-can. In
Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling the contestants stand chest to chest, grasping each other around the body. The one first losing his hold, or touching the ground with any part of his body except his feet, loses the bout. If both fall to the ground at the same time, it is a dogfall, and must be wrestled over. In the
Cornwall and Devon wrestling, the wrestlers complete in strong loose linen jackets, catching hold of the jacket, or anywhere above the waist. Two shoulders and one hip, or two hips and one shoulder, must touch the ground to constitute a fall, and if a man is thrown otherwise than on his back the contestants get upon their feet and the bout recommences. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]