Twining

[ twahy-ning ]

/ ˈtwaɪ nɪŋ /

noun

Nathan Farragut,1897–1982, U.S. Air Force general: chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1957–60.

QUIZZES

Can You Ace This Quiz About “Compliment” vs. “Complement”?

Take this quiz to see if you really know the difference between “compliment” and “complement"!

Question 1 of 11

“Compliment” and “complement” had a shared meaning a long time ago, but today they are no longer interchangeable.

True

False

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Definition for twining (2 of 3)

twine¹

[ twahyn ]

/ twaɪn /

noun

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

an act of twining, twisting, or interweaving.

a coiled or twisted object or part; convolution.

a twist or turn in anything.

a knot or tangle.

verb (used with object), twined, twin·ing.

to twist together; interwind; interweave.

to form by or as by twisting together: to twine a wreath.

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

to insert with a twisting or winding motion (usually followed by in or into): He twined his fingers in his hair.

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.

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, twin·ing.

to wind about something; twist itself in spirals (usually followed by about, around, etc.): Strangling vines twined about the tree.

to wind in a sinuous or meandering course.

Origin of twine

before 900; Middle English twine (noun), twinen (v.), Old English twīn (noun) literally, a double or twisted thread; cognate with Dutch twijn; akin to German Zwirn, Old Norse tvinni thread, twine; see twi-

OTHER WORDS FROM twine

twine·a·ble, adjectivetwin·er, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH twine

twain twin twine

Definition for twining (3 of 3)

twine²

[ twahyn ]

/ twaɪn /

verb (used with or without object), twined, twin·ing. Scot.

to separate; part.

Also twin.

Origin of twine

1175–1225; late Middle English twinen, variant of earlier twinnen, derivative of twin twin¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for twining

I must not forget to mention that I have received (probably not without your privity) Mr. Twining's valuable volume.
The Works of William Cowper|William Cowper
Mr. Twining,—Adderley Twining, sir; that's the man can just win what and when and how he pleases.
Davenport Dunn, Volume 2 (of 2)|Charles James Lever
That this outcast girl was twining herself round his heart was a fact growing too obtrusive to be ignored.
The Dust Flower|Basil King
Be patient, dear, said Sir Edgar, twining his arm round her slender waist.
Hildebrand|Anonymous

Hassan sat the damsel on his knees, and his lips sported with her twining tresses.
The Slaves of the Padishah|Mr Jkai

British Dictionary definitions for twining

twine

/ (twaɪn) /

noun

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

the act or an instance of twining

something produced or characterized by twining

a twist, coil, or convolution

a knot, tangle, or snarl

verb

(tr) to twist together; interweaveshe twined the wicker to make a basket

(tr) to form by or as if by twiningto twine a garland

(when intr, often foll by around) to wind or cause to wind, esp in spiralsthe creeper twines around the tree

Derived forms of twine

twiner, noun

Word Origin for twine

Old English twīn; related to Old Frisian twīne, Dutch twijn twine, Lithuanian dvynu twins; see twin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Twining

noun

QUIZZES

Definition for twining (2 of 3)

noun

verb (used with object), twined, twin·ing.

verb (used without object), twined, twin·ing.

Origin of twine

OTHER WORDS FROM twine

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH twine

Definition for twining (3 of 3)

verb (used with or without object), twined, twin·ing. Scot.

Origin of twine

Words related to twining

Example sentences from the Web for twining

British Dictionary definitions for twining

noun

verb

Derived forms of twine

Word Origin for twine