twine

¹ American  

[twahyn] / twaɪn /

verb (used with or without object)

Scot.

twined, twining

1. to separate; part.

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twine ² American  

[twahyn] / twaɪn /

noun

1. a strong thread or string composed of two or more strands twisted together.

2. an act of twining, twisting, or interweaving.

3. a coiled or twisted object or part; convolution.

4. a twist or turn in anything.

5. a knot or tangle.

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verb (used with object)

twined, twining

1. to twist together; interwind; interweave.

2. to form by or as by twisting together.

   to twine a wreath.

3. to twist (one strand, thread, or the like) with another; interlace.

4. to insert with a twisting or winding motion (usually followed by in orinto ).

   He twined his fingers in his hair.

5. to clasp or enfold (something) around something else; place by or as if by winding (usually followed by about, around, etc.).

   She twined her arms about the sculpture and carried it away.

6. to cause (a person, object, etc.) to be encircled with something else; wreathe; wrap.

   They twined the arch with flowers.

verb (used without object)

twined, twining

1. to wind about something; twist itself in spirals (usually followed by about, around, etc.).

   Strangling vines twined about the tree.

2. to wind in a sinuous or meandering course.

twine British  

/ twaɪn /

noun

1. string made by twisting together fibres of hemp, cotton, etc

2. the act or an instance of twining

3. something produced or characterized by twining

4. a twist, coil, or convolution

5. a knot, tangle, or snarl

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verb

1. (tr) to twist together; interweave

   she twined the wicker to make a basket

2. (tr) to form by or as if by twining

   to twine a garland

3. to wind or cause to wind, esp in spirals

   the creeper twines around the tree

Other Word Forms

• twineable adjective
• twiner noun

Etymology

Origin of twine¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English twinen, variant of earlier twinnen, derivative of twin twin ¹

Origin of twine¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun twin(e), twinne, , Old English twīn literally, “a double or twisted thread”; cognate with Dutch twijn, Old Norse tvinni “thread, twine”; akin to German Zwirn; twi-

Example Sentences

For now, all there is to see is a staked out area, with posts connected by twine.

From BBC

The kitchen cats twined around his feet, begging for a snack.

From Literature

And there it is—a rectangular package wrapped in brown paper and twine.

From Literature

Clara found a ball of thick twine, the same that had been used to bind the rolled-up backdrops and sections of carpet that had been propped against one wall.

From Literature

Like ivy twining up a wall, a tendril of fear snaked ’round Penelope’s heart.

From Literature

Related Words

• yarn