sprain

/spreɪn/

/spreɪn/

Other forms: sprained; sprains; spraining

To sprain one of your joints is to twist it suddenly. The result is a sprain, in which the ligaments have been injured. Don’t go hiking in high heels because you might sprain your ankle.

A sprain — which occurs at joints such as the wrist, elbow, or knee — happens when the ligaments are turned quickly and painfully. After the initial pain, a sprain will swell up. Spraining something is difficult, but things could be worse — a sprained knee will heal quicker than a broken bone.

Definitions of sprain

1. verb

   twist suddenly so as to sprain
   “the hikers sprained their ankles when they fell”

   synonyms: rick, turn, twist, wrench, wrick

   type of:

   injure, wound

   cause injuries or bodily harm to
2. noun

   a painful injury to a joint caused by a sudden wrenching of its ligaments
   type of:

   pull, twist, wrench

   a sharp strain on muscles or ligaments