twit

¹ American  

[twit] / twɪt /

verb (used with object)

twitted, twitting

1. to taunt, tease, ridicule, etc., with reference to anything embarrassing; gibe at.

   Synonyms:

   deride , insult , mock

2. to reproach or upbraid.

   Synonyms:

   castigate , revile , criticize , rebuke , scold , chide

---

noun

1. an act of twitting.

2. a derisive reproach; taunt; gibe.

twit ² American  

[twit] / twɪt /

noun

1. a weak or thin place in yarn caused by uneven spinning.

---

twit ³ American  

[twit] / twɪt /

noun

Informal.

1. an insignificant, silly, or bothersome person.

   Pay no attention to that obnoxious little twit!

---

twit ⁴ American  

[twit] / twɪt /

noun

Informal.

1. a confused, excited state.

   to be in a twit about company coming.

   Synonyms:

   stew , tizzy , dither

---

twit ¹ British  

/ twɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to tease, taunt, or reproach, often in jest

---

noun

1. informal  a nervous or excitable state

2. rare  a reproach; taunt

twit ² British  

/ twɪt /

noun

1. informal  a foolish or stupid person; idiot

---

Etymology

Origin of twit¹

First recorded in 1520–30; shortened variant of obsolete atwite, Middle English atwiten, Old English ætwītan “to taunt,” equivalent to æt- “at” + wītan “to blame”; at ¹

Origin of twit²

First recorded in 1810–20; origin uncertain

Origin of twit³

First recorded in 1920–25; perhaps originally noun derivative of twit ¹, i.e., “one who twits others,” but altered in sense by association with expressive words with tw- ( twaddle, twat, twerp, etc.) and by rhyme with nitwit

Origin of twit⁴

First recorded in 1890–95; probably shortened from twitter

Example Sentences

In lieu of private, family ownership, you have one behemoth corporation, the Guggenheim Group, predicated on maximizing profit potential, and not giving a twit regarding social or moral imperatives.

From Los Angeles Times

Its inhabitants are those of “there will always be an England” England: stern vicars, timid curates, lords and earls, penniless titled wastrels living on allowances from their uncles, imperious aunts, upper-crust twits.

From Los Angeles Times

I’m not saying that Min has to be a privileged twit.

From Los Angeles Times

Nelis renders the professor a pompous and pedantic twit but not a heartless one.

From Los Angeles Times

Jane Austen wrote takedowns of this kind of ninny two centuries ago — how fun to see Pike update her twit to the post-Y2K era.

From Los Angeles Times