Definition of twist
transitive verb
1a : to unite by winding twisting strands togetherb : to make by twisting strands together twist thread from yarnc : to mingle by interlacing
3a : to wring or wrench so as to dislocate or distort; especially : sprain twisted my ankleb : to alter the meaning of : distort, pervert twisted the factsc : contort twisted his face into a grind : to pull off, turn, or break by torsion twist the nut off the bolte : to cause to move with a turning motion twisted her chair to face the firef : to form into a spiral shapeg : to cause to take on moral, mental, or emotional deformity celebrity has twisted their sense of decorumh : to make (one's way) in a winding or devious manner to a destination or objective
intransitive verb
1 : to follow a winding course : snake
2a : to turn or change shape under torsionb : to assume a spiral shapec : squirm, writhed : to dance the twist
3 of a ball : to rotate while taking a curving path or direction
4 : turn 3a twisted around to see behind him
twist in the wind
: to be left to face a difficult situation without support or help
twist one's arm
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Examples of twist in a Sentence
The toy can be twisted into different shapes.
She twisted balloons into the shapes of different animals.
The antenna was twisted out of shape.
The car was a heap of twisted metal after the accident.
He twists his lip into an odd expression when he's thinking.
twist the dials on the radio
The bottle cap twists off.
Recent Examples of twist from the Web
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Twist the orange peel and rub the exterior of it around the rim of the flute; drop the twist into the cocktail.
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Wall morphs into ornament as the horizontal strip between each floor narrows and twists on its way to Broadway, ending up as a band of terra-cotta tiles.
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But the worker, who operates the machinery used to make coins, instead looped and twisted it into a hangman’s noose, according to Rhonda Sapp, president of the Mint workers’ union.
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Are central bankers twisted geniuses manipulating the markets in order to meet their inflation goals?
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All of it led to a single, ancient Haden mango tree that grows twisted in the stifling saltwater breeze blowing in from Biscayne Bay.
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Their presence raised the question: if the Autobots’ makers are this twisted, can the Autobots themselves not be made of similar stuff?
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Their presence raised the question: If the Autobots’ makers are this twisted, can the Autobots themselves not be made of similar stuff?
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Russell twisted his left ankle while rounding second base in the second inning of Saturday's game and didn't play Sunday.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'twist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of twist
Middle English, probably from Middle Dutch twisten, from twist twine, discord, quarrel; akin to Old English -twist (in candeltwist candlesnuffers, mæsttwist twin support for a mast), Middle English twisten to be forked, Middle High German zwist quarrel, Old English twi- twi-
twist
Definition of twist
1a : an act of twisting : the state of being twistedb : a dance performed with strenuous gyrations especially of the hipsc : the spin given the ball in any of various gamesd : a spiral turn or curvee (1) : torque or torsional stress applied to a body (such as a rod or shaft) (2) : torsional strain (3) : the angle through which a thing is twisted
2a : a turning off a straight courseb : eccentricity, idiosyncrasyc : a distortion of meaning or sense
3a : an unexpected turn or development weird twists of fate — W. L. Shirerb : a clever device : trick questions demanding special twists of thinking — New Yorkerc : a variant approach or method : gimmick a kind of twist on the old triangle theme — Dave Fedo
4 : something formed by twisting or winding: such asa : a strip of citrus peel used to flavor a drinkb : a baked piece of twisted doughc : a thread, yarn, or cord formed by twisting two or more strands togetherd : a strong tightly twisted sewing silke : tobacco leaves twisted into a thick roll
5 : a front or back dive in which the diver twists sideways a half or full turn before entering the water
Examples of twist in a Sentence
a simple twist of the wrist
The jar should open with a twist of the lid.
The road has some nasty twists.
The coastal road had many twists and turns.
It was a film noir with some clever twists.
In an unusual twist, the police arrested one of their own.
They were brought together by a strange twist of fate.
Recent Examples of twist from the Web
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The visual effects are spectacular and add to the films enjoyable plot which is unpredictable and takes many twists before reaching a resolution.
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In a twist of fate, one of the defendants was former FBI director Robert Mueller, now the special counsel investigating Trump and his associates.
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The version at Lake Nona’s Canvas Restaurant & Market adds a visually striking twist in a blood-red bittered ice sphere.
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Strain into a rocks glass over the bittered ice sphere and garnish with an orange twist.
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While that formula still works well enough, here’s hoping Ubisoft manages to add a new twist (beyond the setting alone) to keep the series feeling fresh.
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Enjoy a rock musical twist on a classic at Rockin' Red Riding Hood, a fairy tale with Red, Grandma, Jack Lumber and B.B. Wolf at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday at the Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park, 300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton.
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Another new twist: a speakeasy hidden away somewhere on the fairgrounds.
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The big twist: The virus was made possible by U.S. government hackers at the National Security Agency.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'twist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of twist
1555
TWIST Defined for English Language Learners
twist
playDefinition of twist for English Language Learners
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: to bend or turn (something) in order to change its shape
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: to bend or turn (something) into a shape or position that is not normal or natural
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: to turn (something) in a circular motion with your hand
twist
Definition of twist for English Language Learners
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: an act of turning or twisting
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: a turn, curve, or bend in a road, river, etc.
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: an unexpected or strange occurrence
TWIST Defined for Kids
Definition of twist for Students
twisted
;twisting
1 : to turn a part of the body around She twisted in her seat.
2 : to follow a winding course The path twisted between the trees.
3 : to form into an unnatural shape : contort The girl twists her face.
4 : to unite by winding one thread, strand, or wire around another
5 : 2twine 2
6 : to turn so as to sprain or hurt He twisted his ankle.
7 : to pull off, rotate, or break by a turning force You can twist a flower from its stem.
8 : to turn (something) in a circular motion with the hand Twist off the cap.
Definition of twist for Students
1 : something that has been turned upon itself, coiled, or rotated twists of rope
2 : an act of turning with force, coiling, or rotating : the state of being turned with force, coiled, or rotated
3 : a spiral turn or curve
4 : a turn or development that is both surprising and strange
5 : an act of changing the meaning
Learn More about twist
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for twist Spanish Central: Translation of twist Nglish: Translation of twist for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of twist for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about twist
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