GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

last match results

Found 2 definitions

1.       
   Twist (twĭst), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Twisted; p. pr. & vb. n. Twisting.] [OE. twisten, AS. twist a rope, as made of two (twisted) strands, fr. twi- two; akin to D. twist a quarrel, dissension, G. zwist, Dan. & Sw. tvist, Icel. tvistr the deuce in cards, tvistr distressed. See Twice, Two.]
   1. To contort; to writhe; to complicate; to crook spirally; to convolve.
   
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   Twist it into a serpentine form. Pope.
   
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   2. Hence, to turn from the true form or meaning; to pervert; as, “to twist a passage cited from an author”.
   
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   3. To distort, as a solid body, by turning one part relatively to another about an axis passing through both; to subject to torsion; as, “to twist a shaft”.
   
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   4. To wreathe; to wind; to encircle; to unite by intertexture of parts. “Longing to twist bays with that ivy.”  Waller.
   
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   There are pillars of smoke twisted about with wreaths of flame. T. Burnet.
   
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   5. To wind into; to insinuate; -- used reflexively; as, “avarice twists itself into all human concerns”.
   
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   6. To unite by winding one thread, strand, or other flexible substance, round another; to form by convolution, or winding separate things round each other; as, “to twist yarn or thread”.  Shak.
   
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   7. Hence, to form as if by winding one part around another; to wreathe; to make up.
   
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   Was it not to this end
   
   That thou began'st to twist so fine a story? Shak.
   
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   8. To form into a thread from many fine filaments; as, “to twist wool or cotton”.
   
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2.       
   Twisted, a. Contorted; crooked spirally; subjected to torsion; hence, perverted.
   
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   Twisted curve (Geom.), a curve of double curvature. See Plane curve, under Curve. -- Twisted surface (Geom.), a surface described by a straight line moving according to any law whatever, yet so that the consecutive positions of the line shall not be in one plane; a warped surface.
   
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