Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To twist together (threads, for example); intertwine.
  • intransitive verb To form by twisting, intertwining, or interlacing.
  • intransitive verb To encircle or coil about.
  • intransitive verb To wind, coil, or wrap around something.
  • intransitive verb To become twisted, interlaced, or interwoven.
  • intransitive verb To go in a winding course; twist about.
  • intransitive verb To wind or coil about something.
  • noun A strong string or cord made of two or more threads twisted together.
  • noun Something formed by twining.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A double thread; a thread made of two strands twisted; hence, any coarse strand or cord, or, by extension, a fabric woven of such threads; in modern use, a cord composed of several strands, especially when made of hemp or manila; also, a strong thread made of hemp or cotton, used in sewing sails.
  • noun The act of twining or twisting; spinning.
  • noun A curving, winding, or twisting movement or form; a convolution; a coil; a twist.
  • noun A clasping; an embrace.
  • noun An intertwining or interlacing; a tangle; a snarl.
  • noun Duality.
  • Consisting of double (usually coarse) thread; specifically, consisting or made of twine. See I., 1.
  • To make double, as thread, by twisting two strands together; hence, to twist; intertwine.
  • To form of twisted threads or filaments; make by intertwining; in general, to weave.
  • To wind or coil about something, as in clasping or embracing it; wreathe; coil.
  • To encircle; entwine; curl around.
  • To interweave; interlock; intermingle; mix; blend.
  • To blend or unite by twisting or winding; intertwine; be interwoven.
  • To wind; curl; coil; specifically, of plants, to grow in convolutions about a support. See twining.
  • To warp.
  • To make turns or flexures; wind; meander.
  • To separate; divide; part.
  • To turn.
  • To fall.
  • To languish; pine away. Probably confused with dwine.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A twist; a convolution.
  • noun A strong thread composed of two or three smaller threads or strands twisted together, and used for various purposes, as for binding small parcels, making nets, and the like; a small cord or string.
  • noun The act of twining or winding round.
  • noun a kind of machine for twisting twine; a kind of mule, or spinning machine.
  • intransitive verb To mutually twist together; to become mutually involved.
  • intransitive verb To wind; to bend; to make turns; to meander.
  • intransitive verb obsolete To turn round; to revolve.
  • intransitive verb To ascend in spiral lines about a support; to climb spirally.
  • transitive verb To twist together; to form by twisting or winding of threads; to wreathe.
  • transitive verb To wind, as one thread around another, or as any flexible substance around another body.
  • transitive verb To wind about; to embrace; to entwine.
  • transitive verb obsolete To change the direction of.
  • transitive verb obsolete To mingle; to mix.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A twist; a convolution.
  • noun A strong thread composed of two or three smaller threads or strands twisted together, and used for various purposes, as for binding small parcels, making nets, and the like; a small cord or string.
  • noun The act of twining or winding round.
  • noun Intimate and suggestive dance gyrations.
  • verb transitive To weave together.
  • verb intransitive To mutually twist together; to become mutually involved.
  • verb intransitive To wind; to bend; to make turns; to meander.
  • verb obsolete To turn round; to revolve.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English twinen, from twin, twine, from Old English twīn, double thread; see dwo- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English twine, twyne, twin, from Old English twīn ("double thread, twist, twine, linen-thread, linen"), from Proto-Germanic *twiznaz (“thread, twine”), from Proto-Indo-European *dwisnós (“double”), from *dwóh₁ (“two”). Cognate with Dutch twijn ("twine"), Dutch tweern ("thread, twine"), German Zwirn ("thread"), Icelandic tvinni ("a double-thread"). More at twire.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English twinen, twynen, from Old English *twīnian ("to twine, thread"), from Proto-Germanic *twiznōnan (“to thread”), from Proto-Indo-European *dwisnós (“double”), from *dwóh₁ (“two”). Cognate with Dutch twijnen ("to twine, contort, throw"), Danish tvinde ("to twist"), Swedish tvinna ("to twist, twine, throw"), Icelandic tvinna ("to merge, twine").

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Examples

  • By cord he means something strong, almost what we call twine; a thin cord he always calls a string; his twine is the lightest sort of string.

    Chapter 4. American and English Today. 2. Differences in Usage Henry Louis 1921

  • Pull up on the camera until the twine is taut and vertical shake is a thing of the past, along with significant dampening of horizontal shake.

    Boing Boing 2008

  • Erik packed up all the cardboard in twine to get it ready for recycling tomorrow.

    HELP! drewan 2006

  • "Nu?" said Zaretsky, in his cracked voice, cutting the twine from the bundle and unfolding a feather bed.

    Hungry Hearts 1920

  • The twine is woven into rugs, mats, sacks, ropes, harness, even to the bits, and dainty little purses, which tourists buy up like precious articles.

    Six Months in Mexico 1888

  • Or much shorter, I’m so sick of the gun-rights canard that because I can kill someone with twine in the form of a garotte, that twine is of equal social risk and harm as a handgun.

    Matthew Yglesias » Checks and Balances 2010

  • We bundle the newspapers but do not tie them in twine, which is always the temptation.

    Underworld Don Delillo 2008

  • Then we did newspapers including glossy inserts but were careful not to tie the bundles in twine, which is always the temptation.

    Underworld Don Delillo 2008

  • We bundle the newspapers but do not tie them in twine, which is always the temptation.

    Underworld Don Delillo 2008

  • Then we did newspapers including glossy inserts but were careful not to tie the bundles in twine, which is always the temptation.

    Underworld Don Delillo 2008

Comments

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  • Lisle is related to twine.

    January 3, 2010