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twit

1
[ twit ]
/ twɪt /
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See synonyms for: twit / twitting on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), twit·ted, twit·ting.
to taunt, tease, ridicule, etc., with reference to anything embarrassing; gibe at.
to reproach or upbraid.
noun
an act of twitting.
a derisive reproach; taunt; gibe.
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Origin of twit

1
First recorded in 1520–30; shortened variant of obsolete atwite, Middle English atwiten, Old English ætwītan “to taunt,” equivalent to æt- “at” + wītan “to blame”; see at1

Other definitions for twit (2 of 4)

twit2
[ twit ]
/ twɪt /

noun
a weak or thin place in yarn caused by uneven spinning.

Origin of twit

2
First recorded in 1810–20; origin uncertain

Other definitions for twit (3 of 4)

twit3
[ twit ]
/ twɪt /

noun Informal.
an insignificant, silly, or bothersome person: Pay no attention to that obnoxious little twit!

Origin of twit

3
First recorded in 1920–25; perhaps originally noun derivative of twit1, i.e., “one who twits others,” but altered in sense by association with expressive words with tw- (twaddle, twat, twerp, etc.) and by rhyme with nitwit

Other definitions for twit (4 of 4)

twit4
[ twit ]
/ twɪt /

noun Informal.
a confused, excited state: to be in a twit about company coming.

Origin of twit

4
First recorded in 1890–95; probably shortened from twitter
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use twit in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for twit (1 of 2)

twit1
/ (twɪt) /

verb twits, twitting or twitted
(tr) to tease, taunt, or reproach, often in jest
noun
US and Canadian informal a nervous or excitable state
rare a reproach; taunt

Word Origin for twit

Old English ætwītan, from æt against + wītan to accuse; related to Old High German wīzan to punish

British Dictionary definitions for twit (2 of 2)

twit2
/ (twɪt) /

noun
informal, mainly British a foolish or stupid person; idiot

Word Origin for twit

C19: from twit 1 (originally in the sense: a person given to twitting)
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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