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.
Origin of twitch
1125–75;Middle Englishtwicchen (v.); akin to Old Englishtwiccian to pluck; cognate with Germanzwicken to pinch
Related formstwitch·er, nountwitch·ing·ly, adverbun·twitched, adjectiveun·twitch·ing, adjective
late 12c., to-twic-chen "pull apart with a quick jerk," related to Old English twiccian "to pluck," from Proto-Germanic *twikjonan (cf. Low German twicken, Dutch twikken, Old High German gizwickan, German zwicken "to pinch, tweak"). Related: Twitched; twitching. The noun is attested from 1520s.
