twine

¹

[ twahyn ]

noun

1. a strong thread or string composed of two or more strands twisted together.
2. an act of twining, twisting, or interweaving.
3. a coiled or twisted object or part; convolution.
4. a twist or turn in anything.
5. a knot or tangle.

verb (used with object)

, twined, twin·ing.

1. to twist together; interwind; interweave.
2. to form by or as by twisting together:

   to twine a wreath.

3. to twist (one strand, thread, or the like) with another; interlace.
4. to insert with a twisting or winding motion (usually followed by in or into ):

   He twined his fingers in his hair.

5. to clasp or enfold (something) around something else; place by or as if by winding (usually followed by about, around, etc.):

   She twined her arms about the sculpture and carried it away.

6. to cause (a person, object, etc.) to be encircled with something else; wreathe; wrap:

   They twined the arch with flowers.

verb (used without object)

, twined, twin·ing.

1. to wind about something; twist itself in spirals (usually followed by about, around, etc.):

   Strangling vines twined about the tree.

2. to wind in a sinuous or meandering course.

twine

²

[ twahyn ]

verb (used with or without object)

, Scot.

, twined, twin·ing.

1. to separate; part.

twine

/ twaɪn /

noun

1. string made by twisting together fibres of hemp, cotton, etc
2. the act or an instance of twining
3. something produced or characterized by twining
4. a twist, coil, or convolution
5. a knot, tangle, or snarl

verb

1. tr to twist together; interweave

   she twined the wicker to make a basket

2. tr to form by or as if by twining

   to twine a garland

3. whenintr, often foll by around to wind or cause to wind, esp in spirals

   the creeper twines around the tree

Derived Forms

• ˈtwiner, noun

Other Words From

• twinea·ble adjective
• twiner noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of twine¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun twin(e), twinne, , Old English twīn literally, “a double or twisted thread”; cognate with Dutch twijn, Old Norse tvinni “thread, twine”; akin to German Zwirn; twi-

Origin of twine²

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English twinen, variant of earlier twinnen, derivative of twin twin ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of twine¹

Old English twīn ; related to Old Frisian twīne , Dutch twijn twine, Lithuanian dvynu twins; see twin

Example Sentences

The skeleton of the full-term child was discovered with twine around its neck at a house in Fore Bondgate, Bishop Auckland, last month.

From BBC

Twine was found around the neck of a baby whose body may have been under floorboards for more than 100 years, police said.

From BBC

For example: “Cast rubber, with ficus tree surface residues on canvas; glass; twine; and wooden support.”

From Los Angeles Times

The jagged glass shards sewn with twine along the edges are like those vernacular security measures sometimes taken to prevent an invader from climbing over a wall.

From Los Angeles Times

Out, for example, was Standard Rope & Twine, and in recently have been big technology companies.

From Seattle Times