twist
to combine, as two or more strands or threads, by winding together; intertwine.
to form by or as if by winding strands together: Several fibers were used to twist the rope.
to entwine (one thing) with another; interlace (something) with something else; interweave; plait.
to alter in shape, as by turning the ends in opposite directions, so that parts previously in the same straight line and plane are located in a spiral curve: The sculptor twisted the form into an arabesque. He twisted his body around to look behind him.
to turn sharply or wrench out of place; sprain: He twisted his ankle.
to pull, tear, or break off by turning forcibly: He twisted the arm off the puppet.
to distort (the features) by tensing or contracting the facial muscles; contort: She twisted her face in a wry smile.
to distort the meaning or form of; pervert: He twisted my comment about to suit his own purpose.
to cause to become mentally or emotionally distorted; warp: The loss of his business twisted his whole outlook on life.
to form into a coil, knot, or the like by winding, rolling, etc.: to twist the hair into a knot.
to bend tortuously.
to cause to move with a rotary motion, as a ball pitched in a curve.
to turn (something) from one direction to another, as by rotating or revolving: I twisted my chair to face the window.
to combine or associate intimately.
to be or become intertwined.
to wind or twine about something.
to writhe or squirm.
to take a spiral form or course; wind, curve, or bend.
to turn or rotate, as on an axis; revolve, as about something; spin.
to turn so as to face in another direction.
to turn, coil, or bend into a spiral shape.
to change shape under forcible turning or twisting.
to move with a progressive rotary motion, as a ball pitched in a curve.
to dance the twist.
the action of turning or rotating on an axis; rotary motion; spin.
anything formed by or as if by twisting or twining parts together.
the act or process of twining strands together, as in thread, yarn, or rope.
a twisting awry or askew.
distortion or perversion, as of meaning or form.
a peculiar attitude or bias; eccentric turn or bent of mind; eccentricity.
spiral disposition, arrangement, or form.
spiral movement or course.
a sudden, unanticipated change of course, as of events.
a treatment, method, idea, version, etc., especially one differing from that which preceded: The screenwriters gave the old plot a new twist.
the changing of the shape of anything by or as by turning the ends in opposite directions.
the stress causing this alteration; torque.
the resulting state.
a twisting or torsional action, force, or stress; torsion.
a strong, twisted silk thread, heavier than ordinary sewing silk, for working buttonholes and for other purposes.
a loaf or roll of dough twisted and baked.
a strip of citrus peel that has been twisted and placed in a drink to add flavor.
a kind of tobacco manufactured in the form of a rope or thick cord.
a dance performed by couples and characterized by strongly rhythmic turns and twists of the arms, legs, and torso.
the degree of spiral formed by the grooves in a rifled firearm or cannon.
Gymnastics, Diving. a full rotation of the body about the vertical axis.
a wrench.
Idioms about twist
twist one's arm, Informal. to coerce: I didn't want to go, but he twisted my arm.
Origin of twist
1synonym study For twist
Other words for twist
Other words from twist
- twist·a·ble, adjective
- twist·a·bil·i·ty [twis-tuh-bil-i-tee], /ˌtwɪs təˈbɪl ɪ ti/, noun
- twist·ing·ly, adverb
- o·ver·twist, verb
- re·twist, verb
- un·twist·a·ble, adjective
Words Nearby twist
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use twist in a sentence
It features multiple settings and a strobe function, and the rotating head focuses the flashlight’s beam from tight spotlight to wide flood with a quick twist.
Flashlights for emergency scenarios and outdoor fun | PopSci Commerce Team | August 27, 2020 | Popular-ScienceAmazon’s health efforts took a new twist, as the e-commerce giant on Thursday announced an app-based health advice service for consumers—called Halo—that requires its own activity tracking band.
Amazon jumps into smart wearables market with Halo activity tracking band | Aaron Pressman | August 27, 2020 | FortuneExpect plenty more twists, turns and threats in the run-up to the November election, when rideshare companies hope California voters will let them officially opt out of following the new labor law.
VOSD Podcast: Pumping the Brakes on Rideshare Companies’ Dramatic Exit | Nate John | August 21, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoHere’s what global publishers need to know about the latest regulatory twists and turns down under between Google and the news business.
Explained: Google’s tussle in Australia over paying publishers for news | Lara O'Reilly | August 19, 2020 | DigidayIn each iteration we tried to add a visual twist to the design.
How We Designed The Look Of Our 2020 Forecast | Anna Wiederkehr (anna.wiederkehr@abc.com) | August 13, 2020 | FiveThirtyEight
These were conversations that took a fairly grim twist pretty quickly.
I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 | Vicky Ward | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBut there is a big twist in this story that has left both Grace Castro and Lozoya frustrated and grasping for more answers.
An Informant, a Missing American, and Juarez’s House of Death: Inside the 12-Year Cold Case of David Castro | Bill Conroy | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTIn a dramatic twist on mistletoe reproduction, their seeds explode, literally.
Torture, the UVa rape, police violence—we hunger for the facts, and then twist them.
In a bizarre twist to proceedings, Miss Manners sought to have her £30 cab fare from her Kensington flat to court refunded.
How A British Aristocrat Used Big Game Hunter’s Sperm To Get Pregnant Without His Permission | Tom Sykes | December 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHaving wound these about the waist, they twist them so that they cover the privy parts.
Bending lower over the handlebars, he opened the throttle with a twist of his left hand.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run | Stanley R. MatthewsA twist, a sudden jerk, and it was Black Hood who had the signal device now.
Jack caught a starling which was in the act of wriggling out of his coat pocket, and gave it a final twist.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands | R.M. BallantyneThen small bullion tassels to match the twist will form a suitable and elegant finish.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness | Florence Hartley
British Dictionary definitions for twist
/ (twɪst) /
to cause (one end or part) to turn or (of one end or part) to turn in the opposite direction from another; coil or spin
to distort or be distorted; change in shape
to wind or cause to wind; twine, coil, or intertwine: to twist flowers into a wreath
to force or be forced out of the natural form or position: to twist one's ankle
(usually passive) to change or cause to change for the worse in character, meaning, etc; pervert: his ideas are twisted; she twisted the statement
to revolve or cause to revolve; rotate
(tr) to wrench with a turning action: to twist something from someone's grasp
(intr) to follow a winding course
(intr) to squirm, as with pain
(intr) to dance the twist
(tr) British informal to cheat; swindle
twist someone's arm to persuade or coerce someone
the act or an instance of twisting
something formed by or as if by twisting: a twist of hair
a decisive change of direction, aim, meaning, or character
(in a novel, play, etc) an unexpected event, revelation, or other development
a bend: a twist in the road
a distortion of the original or natural shape or form
a jerky pull, wrench, or turn
a strange personal characteristic, esp a bad one
a confused mess, tangle, or knot made by twisting
a twisted thread used in sewing where extra strength is needed
(in weaving) a specified direction of twisting the yarn
the twist a modern dance popular in the 1960s, in which couples vigorously twist the hips in time to rhythmic music
a bread loaf or roll made of one or more pieces of twisted dough
a thin sliver of peel from a lemon, lime, etc, twisted and added to a drink
a cigar made by twisting three cigars around one another
chewing tobacco made in the form of a roll by twisting the leaves together
physics torsional deformation or shear stress or strain
sport, mainly US and Canadian spin given to a ball in various games, esp baseball
the extent to which the grooves in the bore of a rifled firearm are spiralled
round the twist British slang mad; eccentric
Origin of twist
1Derived forms of twist
- twistable, adjective
- twistability, noun
- twisted, adjective
- twisting, adjective
- twisty, adjective
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
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