/ twɪtʃ; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
1.
if a part of your body twitches , or if you twitch it, it makes a sudden quick movement, sometimes one that you cannot control :
[ v ]
Her lips twitched with amusement.
The cats watched each other, their tails twitching.
[also vn ]
2.
to give sth a short sharp pull; to be pulled in this way :
[ vn ]
He twitched the package out of my hands.
[ v ]
The curtains twitched as she rang the bell.
■ noun
1.
a sudden quick movement that you cannot control in one of your muscles :
She has a twitch in her left eye.
a nervous twitch
2.
a sudden quick movement or feeling :
He greeted us with a mere twitch of his head.
At that moment she felt the first twitch of anxiety.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : of Germanic origin; related to Old English twiccian to pluck, pull sharply .