Home / Dictionary / Twist

Twist Very Common

Origin: Greek suffix -ist

Twist has 26 different meanings across 3 categories:

Noun · Verb · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

an unforeseen development

"events suddenly took an awkward turn"

2

an interpretation of a text or action

"they put an unsympathetic construction on his conduct"

3

any clever maneuver

"he would stoop to any device to win a point"

"it was a great sales gimmick"

"a cheap promotions gimmick for greedy businessmen"

4

the act of rotating rapidly

"he gave the crank a spin"

"it broke off after much twisting"

5

a sharp strain on muscles or ligaments

"the wrench to his knee occurred as he fell"

"he was sidelined with a hamstring pull"

6

a sharp bend in a line produced when a line having a loop is pulled tight

"The magician created a twist in the ribbon by pulling the ends of the long, looping strip until it formed a figure-eight shape."

7

a circular segment of a curve

"a bend in the road"

"a crook in the path"

8

a miniature whirlpool or whirlwind resulting when the current of a fluid doubles back on itself

"The strong ocean currents created a dangerous twist that pulled several boats into deep water."

9

a jerky pulling movement

"He winced as his opponent gave his arm a sharp twist during the struggle."

10

a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair

"She decided to keep her hair in a simple twist after washing it."

11

social dancing in which couples vigorously twist their hips and arms in time to the music; was popular in the 1960s

"they liked to dance the twist"

12

the act of winding or twisting

"he put the key in the old clock and gave it a good wind"

13

turning or twisting around (in place)

"with a quick twist of his head he surveyed the room"

14

A twisting force.

"The sudden twist on the steering wheel caused the car to swerve off the road."

Verb
1

to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)

"The prisoner writhed in discomfort"

"The child tried to wriggle free from his aunt's embrace"

2

cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form

"bend the rod"

"twist the dough into a braid"

"the strong man could turn an iron bar"

3

turn in the opposite direction

"twist one's head"

4

form into a spiral shape

"The cord is all twisted"

5

form into twists

"Twist the strips of dough"

6

extend in curves and turns

"The road winds around the lake"

"the path twisted through the forest"

7

do the twist

"After finishing their workout, they decided to dance and do the twist under the disco lights."

8

twist or pull violently or suddenly, especially so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates

"wrench a window off its hinges"

"wrench oneself free from somebody's grip"

"a deep sigh was wrenched from his chest"

9

practice sophistry; change the meaning of or be vague about in order to mislead or deceive

"Don't twist my words"

10

twist suddenly so as to sprain

"wrench one's ankle"

"The wrestler twisted his shoulder"

"the hikers sprained their ankles when they fell"

"I turned my ankle and couldn't walk for several days"

11

To turn the ends of something, usually thread, rope etc., in opposite directions, often using force.

"He twisted the ends of the twine together tightly to secure the bundle."

In plain English: To twist something is to turn it around so that its shape changes and it might break apart.

"He gave the lid another twist before opening the jar."

Usage: Use this verb when describing the physical act of coiling or winding materials like rope and wire by turning their ends against each other with pressure. It is distinct from simply rotating an object because it specifically implies creating a spiral shape through opposing tension.

Proper Noun
1

A surname​.

"Mr. Twist introduced himself as the new manager at the bakery."

Example Sentences
"He gave the lid another twist before opening the jar." verb
"She decided to twist her ankle while running on the sidewalk." verb
"Please don't twist my arm into agreeing with that decision." verb
"The chef will twist each potato before baking them in the oven." verb
See Also
dance turn shout and shout chubby checker chubby checker double full
Related Terms
dance turn shout and shout chubby checker chubby checker double full movement motion turning spin bent wry cue kakezori iron stress manzanita zigzag
Antonyms
unbend untwist
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
development interpretation maneuver rotation injury fold curve current movement hairdo social dancing move change shape turn shape be dance pull denote injure
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
mnemonic trick pirouette birling sprain bight queue pigtail twiddle wrench indent incurvate gnarl crank convolve crick quirk curl wring contort entangle intertwine spin weave circumvolute spiral snake

Origin

The word "twist" comes from Old English and originally referred to a rope or wick made by twisting strands together. It traveled into modern usage while retaining its core meaning of turning something around an axis, likely stemming from the idea of two things being twisted together.

Rhyming Words
ist nist kist uist hist bist dist list jist wist mist sist iist cist rist gist fist trist feist boist
Compare
Twist vs