twine

1 of 3

noun

1
: a strong string of two or more strands twisted together
2
archaic : a twined or interlaced part or object
3
archaic : an act of twining, interlacing, or embracing
twiny adjective

twine

2 of 3

verb (1)

twined; twining

transitive verb

1
a
: to twist together
b
: to form by twisting : weave
2
a
: interlace
the girl twined her handsJohn Buchan
b
: to cause to encircle or enfold something
c
: to cause to be encircled

intransitive verb

1
: to coil about a support
2
: to stretch or move in a sinuous manner : meander
the river twines through the valley
twiner noun

twine

3 of 3

verb (2)

twined; twining

transitive verb

chiefly Scotland : to cause (one) to lose possession : deprive
twined him of his noseJ. C. Ransom

intransitive verb

chiefly Scotland : part
you and me must twineR. L. Stevenson

Examples of twine in a Sentence

Noun The package was wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine. a strong piece of twine
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Cut pumpkin vine leaves from green craft paper and attach to the board with green twine. Charlyne Mattox, Country Living, 30 Aug. 2023 Tie the pieces of twine around the lamb tightly, leaving about 1 inch of space between each piece. Christian Reynoso, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Apr. 2023 If yours doesn't, use cotton twine (ask your butcher for some). Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023 The bunches of lavender stems can be moistened and coiled around, stitched into a bowl shape with a natural twine. Elizabeth Waddington, Treehugger, 23 Aug. 2023 Some crafty DIYers also use twine, primer, and wood stain, but those additional accouterments aren’t necessary. Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2023 Henderson fastens faux greenery to a piece of wood and uses twine to hang it on the front door. Alyssa Gautieri, Good Housekeeping, 17 Aug. 2023 Her body is often the subject of detailed writing about intimacy and freedom — her difficulties with lovers, pregnancies and misogyny twine through the novel’s wider conflicts. Sarah Cypher, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023 After building the frame out of four bamboo poles joined by twine, run the twine up and down the frame, keeping it taut. Jill Gleeson, Country Living, 31 Mar. 2023
Verb
Last night, they were flanked by older, more obviously scarred Republicans, many of whom had twined their fates with Trump earlier in his history and come to regret it. Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2023 The carport is where Marzan sits cross-legged for hours looping coconut coir, making nets and twining. Sarah Sekula, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2023 Over the past 25 years, Marzan has perfected multiple fiber-weaving techniques, including plaiting, twining, netting and cord-making. Sarah Sekula, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2023 On the surface, Nora is a dizzy, much indulged wife, skilled at twining Torvald around her finger. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2023 Plant these wonderful drought tolerant garden vines: - Butterfly vine (Mascagnia ciliatum) is a beautiful drought tolerant, twining evergreen that grows to 20 feet in length. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2023 Horizontal wire support keeps twining branches upright. oregonlive, 2 Apr. 2023 Attach important photos to construction paper and hang them from string or a clothesline using clothespins (if your party is indoors, attach them to twine or ribbon and hang from a mantel or across a wall). Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Mar. 2023 His favorite things to do and eat Reitz’s favorite destination in Disneyland is the Matterhorn Bobsleds, a pair of steel roller coasters twining through an Alpine landscape made to resemble the famously precipitous peak. Aj Willingham, CNN, 4 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'twine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English twin, from Old English twīn; akin to Middle Dutch twijn twine, Old English twā two

Verb (2)

alteration of Scots twin, from Middle English twinnen, from twin double

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

1722, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of twine was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near twine

Cite this Entry

“Twine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twine. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

twine

1 of 2 noun
: a string made of two or more strands twisted together

twine

2 of 2 verb
twined; twining
1
a
: to twist together
b
2
: to coil or cause to coil around a support

More from Merriam-Webster on twine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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