TWIST

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does twist mean? 

• TWIST (noun)
  The noun TWIST has 13 senses:

1. an unforeseen development

2. an interpretation of a text or action

3. any clever maneuver

4. the act of rotating rapidly

5. a sharp strain on muscles or ligaments

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

7. a circular segment of a curve

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

9. a jerky pulling movement

10. a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair

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

12. the act of winding or twisting

13. turning or twisting around (in place)

  Familiarity information: TWIST used as a noun is familiar.

• TWIST (verb)
  The verb TWIST has 10 senses:

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

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

3. turn in the opposite direction

4. form into a spiral shape

5. form into twists

6. extend in curves and turns

7. do the twist

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

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

10. twist suddenly so as to sprain

  Familiarity information: TWIST used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TWIST (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An unforeseen development

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

turn; turn of events; twist

Context example:

events suddenly took an awkward turn

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

development (a recent event that has some relevance for the present situation)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An interpretation of a text or action

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

construction; twist

Context example:

they put an unsympathetic construction on his conduct

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

interpretation (an explanation that results from interpreting something)

Derivation:

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

Sense 3

Meaning:

Any clever maneuver

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

device; gimmick; twist

Context example:

a cheap promotions gimmick for greedy businessmen

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

maneuver; manoeuvre; tactical maneuver; tactical manoeuvre (a move made to gain a tactical end)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):

fast one; trick (a cunning or deceitful action or device)

mnemonic (a device (such as a rhyme or acronym) used to aid recall)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The act of rotating rapidly

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

spin; twirl; twist; twisting; whirl

Context example:

it broke off after much twisting

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

rotary motion; rotation (the act of rotating as if on an axis)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):

pirouette ((ballet) a rapid spin of the body (especially on the toes as in ballet))

birling; logrolling (rotating a log rapidly in the water (as a competitive sport))

Derivation:

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

twist (turn in the opposite direction)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A sharp strain on muscles or ligaments

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

pull; twist; wrench

Context example:

he was sidelined with a hamstring pull

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

harm; hurt; injury; trauma (any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):

sprain (a painful injury to a joint caused by a sudden wrenching of its ligaments)

Derivation:

twist (twist suddenly so as to sprain)

Sense 6

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

kink; twirl; twist

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

bend; crease; crimp; flexure; fold; plication (an angular or rounded shape made by folding)

Derivation:

twist (form into a spiral shape)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A circular segment of a curve

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

bend; crook; turn; twist

Context example:

a crook in the path

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

curve; curved shape (the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):

bight (a bend or curve (especially in a coastline))

Sense 8

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

eddy; twist

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

current; stream (a steady flow of a fluid (usually from natural causes))

Sense 9

Meaning:

A jerky pulling movement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

twist; wrench

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

motion; movement (a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something)

Derivation:

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

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

Sense 10

Meaning:

A hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

braid; plait; tress; twist

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

coif; coiffure; hair style; hairdo; hairstyle (the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):

queue (a braid of hair at the back of the head)

pigtail (a plait of braided hair)

Derivation:

twist (form into twists)

Sense 11

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

they liked to dance the twist

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

social dancing (dancing as part of a social occasion)

Derivation:

twist (do the twist)

Sense 12

Meaning:

The act of winding or twisting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

twist; wind; winding

Context example:

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

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

rotary motion; rotation (the act of rotating as if on an axis)

Sense 13

Meaning:

Turning or twisting around (in place)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

turn; twist

Context example:

with a quick twist of his head he surveyed the room

Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):

rotary motion; rotation (the act of rotating as if on an axis)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):

twiddle (a series of small (usually idle) twists or turns)

• TWIST (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

squirm; twist; worm; wrestle; wriggle; writhe

Context example:

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

Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "twist"):

wrench (make a sudden twisting motion)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

twist (a jerky pulling movement)

twister (a localized and violently destructive windstorm occurring over land characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

bend; deform; flex; turn; twist

Context example:

the strong man could turn an iron bar

Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):

change form; change shape; deform (assume a different shape or form)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "twist"):

dent; indent (make a depression into)

incurvate (cause to curve inward)

gnarl (twist into a state of deformity)

crank (bend into the shape of a crank)

convolute; convolve (curl, wind, or twist together)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Turn in the opposite direction

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

twist one's head

Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):

turn (change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "twist"):

crick (twist (a body part) into a strained position)

quirk (twist or curve abruptly)

curl; wave (twist or roll into coils or ringlets)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

twist (the act of rotating rapidly)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Form into a spiral shape

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

distort; twine; twist

Context example:

The cord is all twisted

Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):

change form; change shape; deform (assume a different shape or form)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "twist"):

contort; deform; distort; wring (twist and press out of shape)

interweave; weave (interlace by or as if by weaving)

spin (work natural fibers into a thread)

enlace; entwine; interlace; intertwine; lace; twine (spin, wind, or twist together)

entangle; mat; snarl; tangle (twist together or entwine into a confusing mass)

wrench; wring (twist and compress, as if in pain or anguish)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Antonym:

untwist (cause to become untwisted)

Derivation:

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

Sense 5

Meaning:

Form into twists

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Twist the strips of dough

Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):

form; shape (give shape or form to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They twist the wire around the stick

Derivation:

twist (a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Extend in curves and turns

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

curve; twist; wind

Context example:

the path twisted through the forest

Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "twist"):

circumvolute (wind or turn in volutions, especially in an inward spiral, as of snail)

spiral (form a spiral)

snake (form a snake-like pattern)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sense 7

Meaning:

Do the twist

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):

dance; trip the light fantastic; trip the light fantastic toe (move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue twist

Derivation:

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

Sense 8

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

twist; wrench

Context example:

a deep sigh was wrenched from his chest

Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):

pull (apply force so as to cause motion towards the source of the motion)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

twist (the act of rotating rapidly)

twist (a jerky pulling movement)

Sense 9

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

convolute; pervert; sophisticate; twist; twist around

Context example:

Don't twist my words

Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):

denote; refer (have as a meaning)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

twist (an interpretation of a text or action)

twisting (the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Twist suddenly so as to sprain

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

rick; sprain; turn; twist; wrench; wrick

Context example:

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

Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):

injure; wound (cause injuries or bodily harm to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Did he twist his foot?

Derivation:

twist (a sharp strain on muscles or ligaments)

 Context examples 

The King Crow flew at the Scarecrow, who caught it by the head and twisted its neck until it died.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

When I heard your cry and ran forward, and saw your head twisted half-off and your stohwassers kickin' in the air, I thought we were one short.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You usually injure your ACL by a sudden twisting motion.

(Knee Injuries and Disorders, NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Each of two zinc atoms is bound to four cysteine residues; the zinc twist is represented by a helical DNA recognition site located between the two zinc atoms.

(Hormone Receptor DNA-Binding Domain, NCI Thesaurus)

The asteroid's orbit also undergoes a slow, back-and-forth twist over multiple decades.

(Small Asteroid Is Earth's Constant Companion, NASA)

The months came and went, and back and forth they twisted through the uncharted vastness, where no men were and yet where men had been if the Lost Cabin were true.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

This day will have at least one (if not more) unexpected twists.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Without hair, without teeth, all twisted and bent; for me, I cannot think how the good God ever came to make such people.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“And then you know”—twisting himself about and forcing a foolish laugh—“I say, then you know, we may try the truth of this same old song.”

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

She had raised herself from the ground, but her foot had been twisted in her fall, and she was scarcely able to stand.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)