twitch

[ twich ]

/ twɪtʃ /

verb (used with object)

to tug or pull at with a quick, short movement; pluck: She twitched him by the sleeve.

to jerk rapidly: The rider twitched the reins a couple of times.

to move (a part of the body) with a sudden, jerking motion.

to pinch or pull at sharply and painfully; give a smarting pinch to; nip.

verb (used without object)

to move spasmodically or convulsively; jerk; jump.

to give a sharp, sudden pull; tug; pluck (usually followed by at): He constantly twitched at his collar.

to ache or hurt with a sharp, shooting pain; twinge: That back tooth twitches a bit.

noun

a quick, jerky movement of the body or of some part of it.

involuntary, spasmodic movement of a muscle; tic: He gets a twitch in his left eye when he's nervous.

a short, sudden pull or tug; jerk.

a bodily or mental twinge, as of pain, conscience, etc.; pang.

a loop or noose placed over the muzzle of a horse and tightened by twisting a stick or handle to which it is attached, used as a restraining device during a painful operation.

Nearby words

twisted stomach worm, twister, twisting, twisty, twit, twitch, twitch grass, twitcher, twitching trail, twitchy, twite

Origin of twitch

1125–75; Middle English twicchen (v.); akin to Old English twiccian to pluck; cognate with German zwicken to pinch

Related forms

twitch·er, nountwitch·ing·ly, adverbun·twitched, adjectiveun·twitch·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for twitcher

Very remarkably, both times the big leonine student, Mr. Jeffries, had been the twitcher.
The Story of Louie|Oliver Onions
Query, whether he is by this means to be in the Cabinet with Twitcher?
Memoirs of the Courts and Cabinets of George the Third|The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos

British Dictionary definitions for twitcher (1 of 2)

twitcher

/ (ˈtwɪtʃə) /

noun

a person or thing that twitches

informal a bird-watcher who tries to spot as many rare varieties as possible

British Dictionary definitions for twitcher (2 of 2)

twitch

/ (twɪtʃ) /

verb

to move or cause to move in a jerky spasmodic way

(tr) to pull or draw (something) with a quick jerky movement

(intr) to hurt with a sharp spasmodic pain

(tr) rare to nip

noun

a sharp jerking movement

a mental or physical twinge

a sudden muscular spasm, esp one caused by a nervous conditionCompare tic

a loop of cord used to control a horse by drawing it tight about its upper lip

Derived Forms

twitching, adjective, noun

Word Origin for twitch

Old English twiccian to pluck; related to Old High German zwecchōn to pinch, Dutch twicken

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

Medicine definitions for twitcher

twitch

[ twĭch ]

v.

To draw, pull, or move suddenly and sharply; jerk.

To move jerkily or spasmodically.

To ache sharply from time to time; twinge.

n.

A sudden involuntary or spasmodic muscular movement.

twitch

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

RELATED CONTENT

Nearby words

Origin of twitch

Related forms

Examples from the Web for twitcher

British Dictionary definitions for twitcher (1 of 2)

twitcher

noun

British Dictionary definitions for twitcher (2 of 2)

twitch

verb

noun

Derived Forms

Word Origin for twitch

Medicine definitions for twitcher

twitch

v.

n.