I. ˈtwist verb
Etymology: Middle English, probably from Middle Dutch twisten, from twist twine, discord, quarrel; akin to Old English -twist (in candeltwist candlesnuffers, mæsttwist twin support for a mast), Middle English twisten to be forked, Middle High German zwist quarrel, Old English twi- twi-
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to unite by winding
twist ing strands together
b. : to make by twisting strands together
twist thread from yarn
c. : to mingle by interlacing
2. : twine , coil
3.
a. : to wring or wrench so as to dislocate or distort ; especially : sprain
twist ed my ankle
b. : to alter the meaning of : distort , pervert
twist ed the facts
c. : contort
twist ed his face into a grin
d. : to pull off, turn, or break by torsion
twist the nut off the bolt
e. : to cause to move with a turning motion
twist ed her chair to face the fire
f. : to form into a spiral shape
g. : to cause to take on moral, mental, or emotional deformity
celebrity has twist ed their sense of decorum
h. : to make (one's way) in a winding or devious manner to a destination or objective
intransitive verb
1. : to follow a winding course : snake
2.
a. : to turn or change shape under torsion
b. : to assume a spiral shape
c. : squirm , writhe
d. : to dance the twist
3. of a ball : to rotate while taking a curving path or direction
4. : turn 3a
twist ed around to see behind him
•
- twist in the wind
- twist one's arm
II. noun
Date: 1555
1. : something formed by twisting or winding: as
a. : a thread, yarn, or cord formed by twisting two or more strands together
b. : a strong tightly twisted sewing silk
c. : a baked piece of twisted dough
d. : tobacco leaves twisted into a thick roll
e. : a strip of citrus peel used to flavor a drink
2.
a. : an act of twisting : the state of being twisted
b. : a dance performed with strenuous gyrations especially of the hips
c. : the spin given the ball in any of various games
d. : a spiral turn or curve
e.
(1) : torque or torsional stress applied to a body (as a rod or shaft)
(2) : torsional strain
(3) : the angle through which a thing is twisted
3.
a. : a turning off a straight course
b. : eccentricity , idiosyncrasy
c. : a distortion of meaning or sense
4.
a. : an unexpected turn or development
weird twist s of fate — W. L. Shirer
b. : a clever device : trick
questions demanding special twist s of thinking — New Yorker
c. : a variant approach or method : gimmick
a kind of twist on the old triangle theme — Dave Fedo
5. : a front or back dive in which the diver twists sideways a half or full turn before entering the water
• twisty ˈtwis-tē adjective