/ twɪn; NAmE / noun , verb , adjective
■ noun
1.
one of two children born at the same time to the same mother :
She's expecting twins.
—see also conjoined twin , fraternal twin , identical twin , Siamese twin
2.
one of two similar things that make a pair
■ verb ( -nn- ) [ vn ] twin sth (with sth)
1.
[ usually passive ] to make a close relationship between two towns or areas :
Oxford is twinned with Bonn in Germany.
2.
to join two people or things closely together :
The opera twins the themes of love and death.
■ adjective [ only before noun ]
1.
used to describe one of a pair of children who are twins :
twin boys / girls
a twin brother / sister
2.
used to describe two things that are used as a pair :
a ship with twin propellers
3.
used to describe two things that are connected, or present or happening at the same time :
The prison service has the twin goals of punishment and rehabilitation.
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WORD ORIGIN
late Old English twinn double , from twi- two ; related to Old Norse tvinnr . Current verb senses date from late Middle English .