twister

[twis-ter]

See more synonyms for twister on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person or thing that twists.
Informal. a whirlwind or tornado.
Chiefly British Informal. a deceitful, unscrupulous person.

Origin of twister

1475–85; 1895–1900 for def 2; twist + -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for twister

Contemporary Examples

When the twister tore through Moore, Mona Thomas lost everything.
The Twister Stole My Pet: How Cats, Dogs, and a Donkey Survived Oklahoma
Christine Pelisek
May 23, 2013
If that is so, then the twister was a measure of the forces we are playing with.
Oklahoma Tornado Devastation: What the Twister Left Behind
Michael Daly
May 22, 2013
It can shelter 3,000 people, if they can get there before a twister strikes.
More Tornado Shelters? Not Necessarily
David Cay Johnston
May 22, 2013
The 1999 twister caused the fastest wind speed ever recorded on Earth up to that time: 318 miles per hour.
Moore, Oklahoma, May Be the Tornado Capital of America
Eliza Shapiro
May 21, 2013
The twister was recorded as a F4 tornado, the second-highest intensity on the Fujita scale.
Moore, Oklahoma, May Be the Tornado Capital of America
Eliza Shapiro
May 21, 2013

Historical Examples

You're right, though,' says he, and with that he tries to put a twister on Diablo's nose.
Thoroughbreds
W. A. Fraser
"I can tell he's going to be a twister," warned Cousin Egbert.
Ruggles of Red Gap
Harry Leon Wilson
We're out of the path of the worst of the 'twister,' but it's best to take no chances.
The Moving Picture Girls at Rocky Ranch
Laura Lee Hope
A second later a "twister" from the hills hit us, and adroitly he headed her into it.
Frenzied Finance
Thomas W. Lawson
The last summer month brings to the Cape the August twister and the August tide.
The Tyranny of Weakness
Charles Neville Buck

British Dictionary definitions for twister

twister

noun

British a swindling or dishonest person
a person or thing that twists, such as a device used in making ropes
US and Canadian an informal name for tornado
a ball moving with a twisting motion

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

Word Origin and History for twister

n.

1570s, "one who spins thread," agent noun from twist (v.). Meaning "tornado" is attested from 1881, American English.

twister

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}twister

Examples from the Web for twister

Contemporary Examples

When the twister tore through Moore, Mona Thomas lost everything.

If that is so, then the twister was a measure of the forces we are playing with.

It can shelter 3,000 people, if they can get there before a twister strikes.

The 1999 twister caused the fastest wind speed ever recorded on Earth up to that time: 318 miles per hour.

The twister was recorded as a F4 tornado, the second-highest intensity on the Fujita scale.

Historical Examples

You're right, though,' says he, and with that he tries to put a twister on Diablo's nose.

"I can tell he's going to be a twister," warned Cousin Egbert.

We're out of the path of the worst of the 'twister,' but it's best to take no chances.

A second later a "twister" from the hills hit us, and adroitly he headed her into it.

The last summer month brings to the Cape the August twister and the August tide.

twister

Word Origin and History for twister

n.

Origin of twister