1(especially North American English) (British English usuallyspanner)[countable]a metal tool with a specially shaped end for holding and turning things, including one which can be adjusted to fit objects of different sizes, also called a monkey wrench or an adjustable spanner2[singular]pain or unhappiness that you feel when you have to leave a person or place that you loveLeaving home was a terrible wrench for me.3[countable, usually singular]a sudden and violent twist or pullShe stumbled and gave her ankle a painful wrench.