- 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 TwiceTwo
- To contort; to writhe; to complicate; to crook spirally; to convolve.Twist it into a serpentine form.
- Hence, to turn from the true form or meaning; to pervert; as, to twist a passage cited from an author.
- 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.
- To wreathe; to wind; to encircle; to unite by intertexture of parts.Longing totwistbays with that ivy.There are pillars of smoke twisted about with wreaths of flame.
- To wind into; to insinuate; -- used reflexively; as, avarice twists itself into all human concerns.
- 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.
- Hence, to form as if by winding one part around another; to wreathe; to make up.Was it not to this end That thou began'st to twist so fine a story?
- To form into a thread from many fine filaments; as, to twist wool or cotton.
