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

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

From Los Angeles Times

My father had had the foresight to prepare a box of underwear tied with twine for each of us.

From New York Times

Mom held up my name badge, which was a cross section of a tree on a necklace of twine.

From Literature

The collar buttons, the birds’ bones, the ball of twine.

From Literature