twine

1 of 3

noun

ˈtwīn 

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

ˈtwī-nē 

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 hands.

—John 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 nose …

—J. C. Ransom

intransitive verb

chiefly Scotland : part

You and me must twine …

—Robert Louis Stevenson

Synonyms of twine

Verb (1)

• curl
• coil
• wind

Examples of twine in a Sentence

Noun

The package was wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine.

a strong piece of twine

Verb (1)

the snake silently twined around the tree trunk

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Sarah Faust corralled a pass in transition, then fired a missile into the twine as the clock hit triple zeroes to give Medfield a 7-6 advantage at intermission. —Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 2 June 2026

Soon after planting, begin training the plants to climb and trail along the support by gently wrapping the stems around the railing or using twine or soft ties. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 29 May 2026

Verb

Up high, fresh laundry quivers in the breeze like bunting, pegged precariously to twine stretched taut between windows. —Esme Nicholson, NPR, 3 June 2026

The thin, wiry stems climb by twining to cover a trellis, arbor, or fence. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 May 2026

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

Rhymes for twine

• brine
• chine
• cline
• dine
• fein
• fine
• gwine
• hine
• jain
• klein
• kline
• line

Kids Definition

twine

1 of 2 noun

ˈtwīn 

: a string made of two or more strands twisted together

twine

2 of 2 verb

twined; twining

1

a

: to twist together

b

: interlace

2

: to coil or cause to coil around a support