Wrung

Part of Speech: Past tense and participle of the word Wring which is a verb

Definition: To squeeze (someone’s hand) tightly, with sincere emotion

Source: Oxford Dictionary

Found in the Ballad, “My Boy Willie” by Anonymous – Line 25: “She wrung her hand and she tore her hair”

The definition of the word wrung allowed me to figure out what Line 25 meant. Although, the speaker was feeling hopeful in finding her lover she ends up finding out that he had drowned. When the speaker found out the bad news, “She wrung her hands and she tore her hair.” In other words, the speaker lost all hope she had within in searching for husband leaving her heartbroken that she reacted in such a way. She grabbed her own hands with sincere emotion possibly the way her lover would hold hers for comfort.