twit
1[ twit ]
/ twɪt /
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.
RELATED WORDS
rag, laugh, deride, jest, takeoff, rally, jolly, rib, caricature, jape, josh, quiz, lampoon, haze, travesty, pan, scorn, humiliate, pooh-pooh, banter
Nearby words
- twisted stomach worm,
- twister,
- twisting,
- twistingly,
- twisty,
- twitch,
- twitch grass,
- twitcher,
- twitching trail,
- twitchy
Origin of twit
11520–30; aphetic variant of obsolete atwite, Middle English atwiten, Old English ætwītan to taunt, equivalent to æt- at1 + wītan to blame
twit
2[ twit ]
/ twɪt /
noun
a weak or thin place in yarn caused by uneven spinning.
Origin of twit
2First recorded in 1810–20; origin uncertain
twit
3[ twit ]
/ twɪt /
noun Informal.
an insignificant, silly, or bothersome person: Pay no attention to that obnoxious little twit!
Origin of twit
3twit
4[ twit ]
/ twɪt /
noun Informal.
a confused, excited state: to be in a twit about company coming.
Origin of twit
4probably shortened from twitter
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for twit
twit
1/ (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
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)
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