twine

¹ 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 ² American  

[twahyn] / twaɪn /

verb (used with or without object)

Scot.

twined, twining

1. to separate; part.

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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

• twiner
  noun
• twineable
  adjective

Etymology

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; see twi-

Origin of twine²

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

Explanation

Twine is the strong braided string that's often tied around a bakery box or used to secure a Christmas tree to the top of your car. Twine can be made of cotton, hemp, or even plastic — it's stronger than string, but thinner than rope. It can be used to stake plants in the garden or to tie up a package of cheese from a deli. Twine can also be a verb meaning "to twist around," the way threads are twisted into a strand of twine. Your cats might twine around each other to sleep, for example. The Old English version was twin, or "double strands of thread."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

twine twined twining

It will be beautiful, made by hand, wrapped in brown paper tied with twine.

From Salon ● May 27, 2026

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

From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2026

For example: “Cast rubber, with ficus tree surface residues on canvas; glass; twine; and wooden support.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2024

My father had had the foresight to prepare a box of underwear tied with twine for each of us.

From New York Times ● May 8, 2024

Thread the twine through the roll, then tie the ends together to make a big loop for hanging.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry

Ms. Rheinstein was her own best advertisement, a gracious entertainer who hosted charitable functions for decades at her red brick Georgian house, twined with Lady Banks climbing roses and opening onto inviting garden “rooms.”

From New York Times ● Mar. 31, 2023

Religious faith has long twined with the space program.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 21, 2022

Scenes of departures have become intimate portraits of loss and fear twined into the shared burden of survival.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2022

Her wall features one seasonally rotating space that includes a hook, to which she ties twined bundles of winter branches and berries, spring grasses or autumn lavender.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 7, 2022

He twined his fingers through hers and leaned close.

From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez

Mr. Guettel’s twining, urgent vocal music captures the complexity of the situation, encompassing the innocent, sincere mutual recognition of the lovers and Margaret’s sadness and guilt.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

On the whole, though, “The Manor of Dreams” is a swift and enjoyable read, increasingly spooky, with a surprising queer romance twining its way through.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2025

Somewhere behind the house the birds began to wail, twining their voices into a piercing cry until suddenly I saw them both running down the hill into the stutter start of flight.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 22, 2023

In 1991, she made a quipu that she never displayed, practicing the signature “long knot” and twining two colors of yarn together on some pendants.

From New York Times ● Aug. 25, 2022

As she watched, he crossed his middle finger over his index finger, twining them together.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

Related Words

• yarn