Etymology
1. O.E.
*wræstlian, frequentative of
wræstan "to wrest" (see wrest). Cf. N.Fris.
wrassele, M.L.G.
worstelen. Fig. sense is recorded from 1225.
Wrestling is attested by c.1100; meaning "sport of grappling and throwing" is attested by c.1225.
2. The verb is derived from Middle English wrestlen, wrastlen (“to engage in grappling combat or sport, struggle, wrestle; to twist and turn, squirm, wriggle, writhe; (figurative) to contend, grapple with, struggle”), from Old English wrǣstlian (“to wrestle”), a frequentative form of wrǣstan (“to twist, wrest”), from Proto-Germanic *wraistijaną (“to turn; to twist, wrest”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wreyt- (“to twist”). By surface analysis, wrest + -le (frequentative suffix). Probably related to wraxle (UK, dialectal, archaic).
3. The noun is derived from the verb.
4. cognates
5. * Middle Dutch worstelen, wrastelen (“to wrestle”) (modern Dutch worstelen)
6. * Middle Low German wrostelen (“to wrestle”) (German Low German frösseln, wrösseln)
7. * Saterland Frisian wrosselje (“to contend, wrestle”)
8. * West Frisian wrakselje (“to wrestle”) See: Proto-Germanic '
*wraistijaną', Dutch '
worstelen', Frisian, Saterlandic 'wrosselje'.
Verbs referencing "wrestle"
Dutch
worstelen, German, old spelling
wursteln, German, old spelling
durchwursteln.