twa ['tü] -adj

(variant of two)

  1. being one more than one in number
  2. being the second used postpositively
    • section two of the instructions
  3. two countable individuals not specified
    • only two were found
  4. a small approximate number of indicated things
    • only a shot or two were fired
  5. the second in a set or series
    • the two of spades
  6. a 2-dollar bill
  7. something having two units or members

twad·dle ['twä-dᵊl] -n

  1. silly idle talk : drivel
  2. something insignificant or worthless : nonsense
    • that idea is pure twaddle
  3. one that twaddles : twaddler

twaddle ['twäd-liŋ, 'twä-dᵊl-iŋ] -vb, n

  1. prate, babble

twain ['twān] -adj

  1. two
  2. two
  3. two fathoms
    • mark twain
  4. two
  5. couple, pair

twang ['twaŋ] -n, adj

  1. a harsh quick ringing sound like that of a plucked banjo string
  2. nasal speech or resonance
  3. the characteristic speech of a region, locality, or group of people
  4. an act of plucking
  5. pang, twinge
  6. to sound with a twang
    • the couch twang ed when he sat down
  7. to speak or sound with a nasal intonation
  8. to throb or twitch with pain or tension
  9. to cause to sound with a twang
  10. to utter or pronounce with a nasal twang
  11. to pluck the string of
    • twang a guitar
  12. a persisting flavor, taste, or odor : tang
  13. suggestion, trace

twat ['twät] -n

  1. vulva

tway·blade ['twā-,blād] -n

  1. any of various orchids (genera Listeraand Liparis) often having two leaves

tweak ['twēk] -vb, n

  1. to pinch and pull with a sudden jerk and twist : twitch
    • tweak ed a bud from the stem
  2. to pinch (a person or a body part) lightly or playfully
    • tweak ed the baby's ear affectionately
  3. to make usu. small adjustments in or to
    • tweak the controls
  4. fine-tune
  5. annoy, bother
    • tweak ing the establishment
  6. to criticize esp. in a sly or sharp manner
  7. to poke fun at
  8. to injure slightly
    • tweak an ankle
  9. pull, pluck
  10. to make small adjustments

twee ['twē] -adj

  1. affectedly or excessively dainty, delicate, cute, or quaint
    • such a theme might sound twee or corny -- Times Lit. Supp.

tweed ['twēd] -n

  1. a rough woolen fabric made usu. in twill weaves and used esp. for suits and coats
  2. tweed clothing
  3. a tweed suit

Twee·dle·dum and Twee·dle·dee [,twē-dᵊl-'dəm-ən(d)-,twē-dᵊl-'dē] -n

  1. two individuals or groups that are practically indistinguishable

tweedy ['twē-dē] -adj, n

  1. of or resembling tweed
    • a tweedy wool blend
  2. given to wearing tweeds
  3. informal or suggestive of the outdoors in taste or habits
    • a tweedy, clubby world of horse shows and parties
  4. academic, scholarly
    • tweedy authors

tween ['twēn] -prep

  1. between
  2. preteen

tween·er ['twē-nər] -n

  1. a player who has some but not all of the necessary characteristics for each of two or more positions (as in football or basketball)

tweet ['twēt] -n, vi

  1. a chirping note

tweet·er ['twē-tər] -n

  1. a small loudspeaker responsive only to the higher acoustic frequencies and reproducing sounds of high pitch

tweeze ['twēz] -vt

  1. to pluck, remove, or handle with tweezers

twee·zer ['twē-zər] -n

  1. tweezers

twee·zers ['twē-zərz] -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. any of various small metal instruments that are usu. held between the thumb and index finger, are used for plucking, holding, or manipulating, and consist of two legs joined at one end

Twelfth Day -n

  1. epiphany

Twelfth Night -n

  1. the evening or sometimes the eve of Epiphany

twelve ['twelv] -n, adj or n, adj, pron, pl in constr

  1. the twelve original disciples of Jesus
  2. the books of the Minor Prophets in the Jewish Scriptures
  3. the 12th in a set or series
  4. something having 12 units or members
  5. twelvemo

twelve·mo ['twelv-(,)mō] -n

  1. the size of a piece of paper cut 12 from a sheet
  2. a book, a page, or paper of this size

twelve·month [-,mən(t)th] -n

  1. year

twelvetone [-'tōn] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or being serial music utilizing the 12 chromatic tones

twelvetone row -n

  1. the 12 chromatic tones of the octave placed in a chosen fixed order and constituting with some permitted permutations and derivations the melodic and harmonic material of a serial musical piece

twen·ty ['twen-tē, 'twən-] -n, adj or n, adj, pron, pl in constr

  1. the numbers 20 to 29
  2. the years 20 to 29 in a lifetime or century
  3. a 20-dollar bill

twen·tyfour·mo [,twen-tē-'fȯr-(,)mō, ,twən-] -n

  1. the size of a piece of paper cut 24 from a sheet
  2. a book, a page, or paper of this size

twen·tyone [,twen-tē-'wən, ,twən-] -n, adj, pron, pl in constr

  1. blackjack

twen·ty·some·thing ['twen-tē-,səm(p)-thiŋ, -'twən-] -adj, n

  1. of, relating to, or being a person who is in his or her twenties
    • a twentysomething professional

twen·tytwen·ty [-'twen-tē, -'twən-] -adj

  1. meeting a standard of normal visual acuity
    • twentytwenty vision
  2. marked by facilely accurate discernment, judgment, or assessment
    • hindsight is twentytwenty

twen·tytwo [-'tü] -n, adj, pron, pl in constr

  1. a .22-caliber firearm
  2. one firing rimfire cartridges usu. written .22

twerp ['twərp] -n

  1. a silly, insignificant, or contemptible person

Twi ['chwē, chə-'wē, 'twē, 'chē] -n

  1. a dialect of Akan
  2. a literary language based on the Twi dialect and used by the Akan-speaking peoples (as the Ashanti)

twi- ['twī] -prefix

  1. two : double : doubly : twice
    • twi- headed

twice ['twīs] -adv

  1. on two occasions
    • twice absent
  2. two times : in doubled quantity or degree
    • twice two is four
    • twice as much

twiceborn [-'bȯrn] -adj

  1. born a second time
  2. having undergone a definite experience of fundamental moral and spiritual renewal
  3. of or forming one of the three upper Hindu caste groups in which boys undergo an initiation symbolizing spiritual birth

twicelaid [-'lād] -adj

  1. made from the ends of rope and strands of used rope
    • twicelaid rope

twicetold [-'tōld] -adj

  1. well known from repeated telling used chiefly in the phrase a twice-told tale

twid·dle ['twi-dᵊl] -vb

  1. to play negligently with something : fiddle
  2. to turn or jounce lightly
    • twiddle s round and round in the water -- J. B. S. Haldane
  3. to rotate lightly or idly
    • twiddled his pen

twiddle -n

  1. turn, twist

twig ['twig] -n, adj

  1. a small shoot or branch usu. without its leaves
  2. a minute branch of a nerve or artery
  3. notice, observe
  4. to understand the meaning of : comprehend
  5. to gain a grasp : understand
    • twigged instinctively about things -- H. E. Bates
  6. fashion, style

twi·light ['twī-,līt] -n

  1. the light from the sky between full night and sunrise or between sunset and full night produced by diffusion of sunlight through the atmosphere and its dust
  2. a time of twilight
  3. an intermediate state that is not clearly defined
    • lived in the twilight of neutrality -- Newsweek
  4. a period of decline
    • the twilight of a great career

twilight glow -n

  1. airglow seen at twilight

Twilight of the Gods

  1. ragnarok

twilight zone -n

  1. an area just beyond ordinary legal and ethical limits
  2. twilight
  3. a world of fantasy, illusion, or unreality

twi·lit ['twī-,lit] -adj

  1. lighted by or as if by twilight

twill ['twil] -n

  1. a fabric with a twill weave
  2. a textile weave in which the filling threads pass over one and under two or more warp threads to give an appearance of diagonal lines

twilled ['twild] -adj

  1. made with a twill weave

twill·ing ['twi-liŋ] -n

  1. twilled fabric
  2. the process of making twilled fabric

twin ['twin] -n

  1. either of two offspring produced at a birth
  2. gemini
  3. one of two persons or things closely related to or resembling each other
  4. a compound crystal composed of two adjoining crystals or parts of crystals of the same kind that share a common plane of atoms
  5. to bring together in close association : couple
  6. duplicate, match
  7. to bring forth twins
  8. to grow as a twin crystal
  9. born with one other or as a pair at one birth
    • my twin brother
    • twin girls
  10. made up of two similar, related, or connected members or parts : double
  11. paired in a close or necessary relationship : matching
  12. having or consisting of two identical units
  13. being one of a pair

twin bed -n

  1. one of a pair of matching single beds
  2. a twin-size bed

twin·ber·ry ['twin-,ber-ē] -n

  1. a western No. American honeysuckle ( Lonicera involucrata) with yellowish involucrate flowers
  2. partridgeberry

twin bill -n

  1. doubleheader

twin·born ['twin-'bȯrn] -adj

  1. born at the same birth

twin double -n

  1. a system of betting (as on horse races) in which the bettor must pick the winners of four stipulated races in order to win

twine ['twīn] -n, adj

  1. a strong string of two or more strands twisted together
  2. a twined or interlaced part or object
  3. an act of twining, interlacing, or embracing
  4. to twist together
  5. to form by twisting : weave
  6. interlace
    • the girl twined her hands -- John Buchan
  7. to cause to encircle or enfold something
  8. to cause to be encircled
  9. to coil about a support
  10. to stretch or move in a sinuous manner : meander
    • the river twine s through the valley
  11. to cause (one) to lose possession : deprive
    • twined him of his nose -- J. C. Ransom
  12. part
    • you and me must twine -- R. L. Stevenson

twin·flow·er ['twin-,flau̇(-ə)r] -n

  1. a prostrate subshrub ( Linnaea borealis) of the honeysuckle family that is found in cool regions of the northern hemisphere and has fragrant usu. pink flowers

twinge ['twinj] -vb

  1. pluck, tweak
  2. to affect with a sharp pain or pang
  3. to feel a sudden sharp local pain
  4. a sudden sharp stab of pain
  5. a moral or emotional pang
    • a twinge of conscience
    • a twinge of sympathy

twinight ['twī-,nīt] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or being a baseball doubleheader in which the first game is played in the late afternoon and the second continues into the evening

twin·kle ['twiŋ-kəl] -vb, n

  1. to shine with a flickering or sparkling light : scintillate
  2. to flutter the eyelids
  3. to appear bright esp. with merriment
    • his eyes twinkled
  4. to flutter or flit rapidly
  5. to cause to shine with fluctuating light
  6. to flicker or flirt rapidly
    • twinkled the straight, red-lacquered toes -- Glenway Wescott

twinkle [-k(ə-)lē] -n, adj

  1. a wink of the eyelids
  2. the instant's duration of a wink : twinkling
  3. an intermittent radiance : flicker, sparkle
  4. a rapid flashing motion : flit

twinkling -n

  1. the time required for a wink : instant
    • the kettle will boil in a twinkling -- Punch

twin primes -n pl

  1. a pair of prime numbers (as 3 and 5 or 11 and 13) differing by two

twin·set ['twin-'set] -n

  1. a combination of a matching pullover and cardigan worn together

twinsize ['twin-'sīz] -adj

  1. having dimensions of 39 by 75 inches (about 1.0 by 1.9 meters) used of a bed

twirl ['twər-(-ə)l] -vb, n

  1. to revolve rapidly
  2. to pitch in a baseball game
  3. to cause to rotate rapidly
  4. pitch
  5. an act of twirling
  6. coil, whorl

twirp ['twərp] -n

(variant of twerp)

  1. a silly, insignificant, or contemptible person

twist ['twist] -vb

  1. to unite by winding
    • twist ing strands together
  2. to make by twisting strands together
    • twist thread from yarn
  3. to mingle by interlacing
  4. twine, coil
  5. to wring or wrench so as to dislocate or distort
  6. sprain
    • twist ed my ankle
  7. to alter the meaning of : distort, pervert
    • twist ed the facts
  8. contort
    • twist ed his face into a grin
  9. to pull off, turn, or break by torsion
    • twist the nut off the bolt
  10. to cause to move with a turning motion
    • twist ed her chair to face the fire
  11. to form into a spiral shape
  12. to cause to take on moral, mental, or emotional deformity
    • celebrity has twist ed their sense of decorum
  13. to make (one's way) in a winding or devious manner to a destination or objective
  14. to follow a winding course : snake
  15. to turn or change shape under torsion
  16. to assume a spiral shape
  17. squirm, writhe
  18. to dance the twist
  19. to rotate while taking a curving path or direction
  20. turn
    • twist ed around to see behind him
  21. : something formed by twisting or winding: as
  22. a thread, yarn, or cord formed by twisting two or more strands together
  23. a strong tightly twisted sewing silk
  24. a baked piece of twisted dough
  25. tobacco leaves twisted into a thick roll
  26. a strip of citrus peel used to flavor a drink
  27. an act of twisting : the state of being twisted
  28. a dance performed with strenuous gyrations esp. of the hips
  29. the spin given the ball in any of various games
  30. a spiral turn or curve
  31. torque or torsional stress applied to a body (as a rod or shaft)
  32. torsional strain
  33. the angle through which a thing is twisted
  34. a turning off a straight course
  35. eccentricity, idiosyncrasy
  36. a distortion of meaning or sense
  37. an unexpected turn or development
    • weird twist s of fate -- W. L. Shirer
  38. a clever device : trick
    • questions demanding special twist s of thinking -- New Yorker
  39. a variant approach or method : gimmick
    • a kind of twist on the old triangle theme -- Dave Fedo
  40. a front or back dive in which the diver twists sideways a half or full turn before entering the water

twist drill -n

  1. a drill having deep helical grooves extending from the point to the smooth portion of the shank

twist·ed ['twis-təd] -adj

  1. mentally or emotionally unsound or disturbed : sick

twist·er ['twis-tər] -n

  1. one that twists
  2. a ball with a forward and spinning motion
  3. a tornado, waterspout, or dust devil in which the rotatory ascending movement of a column of air is esp. apparent

twist·ing ['twis-tiŋ] -n

  1. the use of misrepresentation or trickery to get someone to lapse a life insurance policy and buy another usu. in another company

twist tie -n

  1. a tie used for closing or securing (as a plastic bag) by twisting the ends together

twit ['twit] -n

  1. an act of twitting : taunt
  2. a silly annoying person : fool
  3. to subject to light ridicule or reproach : rally
  4. to make fun of as a fault

twitch ['twich] -vb, n

  1. to move or pull with a sudden motion : jerk
  2. pull, pluck
    • twitch ed at my sleeve
  3. to move jerkily : quiver
  4. to undergo a brief spasmodic muscular contraction
    • his hand twitch ed
  5. an act of twitching
  6. a short sudden pull or jerk
  7. a physical or mental pang
    • a twitch of remorse
  8. a loop of rope or strap that is tightened over a horse's lip as a restraining device
  9. a brief spasmodic contraction of the muscle fibers
  10. a slight jerk of a body part
  11. quack grass

twit·ter ['twi-tər] -vb

  1. to utter successive chirping noises
  2. to talk in a chattering fashion
  3. giggle, titter
  4. to tremble with agitation : flutter
  5. to utter in chirps or twitters
    • the robin twitter ed its morning song
  6. to shake rapidly back and forth : flutter

twitter ['twi-tə-rē] -n, adj

  1. a trembling agitation : quiver
  2. a small tremulous intermittent sound (as of birds)
  3. a light chattering
  4. a light silly laugh : giggle

twixt ['twikst] -prep

  1. between
    • twixt the two extremes

two ['tü] -adj

  1. being one more than one in number
  2. being the second used postpositively
    • section two of the instructions
  3. two countable individuals not specified
    • only two were found
  4. a small approximate number of indicated things
    • only a shot or two were fired
  5. the second in a set or series
    • the two of spades
  6. a 2-dollar bill
  7. something having two units or members

twobag·ger [-'ba-gər] -n

  1. double

twobit ['tü-'bit] -adj

  1. of the value of two bits
  2. cheap or trivial of its kind : petty, small-time
    • a twobit chiseler

two bits -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. the value of a quarter of a dollar
  2. something of small worth or importance

twobyfour [,tü-bī-'fȯr] -n

  1. a piece of lumber approximately 2 by 4 inches as sawed and usu. 1 by 3 inches when dressed
  2. small or petty of its kind
    • this house and its twobyfour garden -- Philip Barry
  3. measuring two units (as inches) by four

two cents -n

  1. an opinion offered on a topic under discussion
    • send your two cents' worth to your senator
  2. a sum or object of very small value : practically nothing
    • said angrily that for two cents he'd punch your nose

twocycle -adj

  1. having a 2-stroke cycle

twodimensional -adj, n

  1. of, relating to, or having two dimensions
  2. lacking the illusion of depth : not three-dimensional
  3. lacking depth of characterization
    • twodimensional characters

twoedged sword ['tü-'ejd-, -'e-jəd-] -n

  1. double-edged sword

twofaced ['tü-'fāst] -adj, n

  1. double-dealing, false
  2. having two faces

two·fer ['tü-fər] -n

  1. a cheap item of merchandise
  2. a cigar selling at two for a nickel
  3. a free coupon entitling the bearer to purchase two tickets to a specified theatrical production for the price of one
  4. two articles available for the price of one or about the price of one
  5. something that satisfies two criteria or needs simultaneously

twofist·ed [-'fis-təd] -adj

  1. marked by vigorous often virile energy : hard-hitting
    • twofisted journalism

two·fold ['tü-,fōld, -'fōld] -adj, adv

  1. having two parts or aspects
  2. being twice as great or as many

twohand·ed ['tü-'han-dəd] -adj

  1. used with both hands
    • a twohanded sword
  2. requiring two persons
    • a twohanded saw
  3. stout, strong
  4. having two hands
  5. efficient with either hand

twoparty -adj

  1. characterized by two major political parties of comparable strength

two·pence ['tə-pən(t)s, US also 'tü-,pen(t)s] -n

  1. the sum of two British pennies
  2. a coin worth twopence

two·pen·ny ['təp-nē, 'tə-pə-, US also 'tü-,pe-nē] -adj

  1. costing or worth twopence

twophase -adj

  1. diphasic

twopiece ['tü-'pēs] -adj

  1. forming a clothing ensemble with matching top and bottom parts
  2. a garment (as a bathing suit) that is two-piece

twopiec·er ['tü-'pē-sər] -n

  1. two-piece

twoply [-'plī] -adj

  1. consisting of two thicknesses
  2. woven with two sets of warp thread and two of filling
    • a twoply carpet
  3. consisting of two strands
    • twoply yarn

two's complement -n

  1. the negative of a binary number represented by switching all ones to zeros and all zeros to ones and then adding one to the result

twosid·ed [-'sī-dəd] -adj

  1. having two sides : bilateral

two·some ['tü-səm] -n

  1. a group of two persons or things : couple
  2. a golf singles match

twospot·ted spider mite ['tü-'spä-təd-] -n

  1. a widely distributed spider mite ( Tetranychus urticae) that feeds on soft plant parts and is a pest in greenhouses and gardens called also two-spotted mite

twostep ['tü-,step] -n, vi

  1. a ballroom dance in or time having a basic pattern of step-close-step
  2. a piece of music for the two-step

twosuit·er [-'sü-tər] -n

  1. a man's suitcase designed to hold two suits and accessories

twotailed ['tü-'tāl(d)] -adj

  1. being a statistical test for which the critical region consists of all values of the test statistic greater than a given value plus the values less than another given value

twotime ['tü-,tīm] -vt, n

  1. double-cross
  2. to betray (a spouse or lover) by secret lovemaking with another

twotoed sloth ['tü-'tōd-] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Choloepusof the family Megalonychidae) of sloths having two clawed digits on each forefoot, three clawed digits on each hind foot, and usu. six or seven vertebrae in the neck

twotone ['tü-'tōn] -adj

  1. colored in two colors or in two shades of one color
    • twotone shoes

twotoned ['tü-'tōnd] -adj

  1. two-tone

twoway -adj

  1. being a cock or valve that will connect a pipe or channel with either of two others
  2. moving or allowing movement in either direction
    • a twoway bridge
  3. involving or allowing an exchange between two individuals or groups
    • there must be good twoway communication -- Jerrold Orne
  4. designed for both sending and receiving messages
    • twoway radio
  5. involving mutual responsibility or reciprocal relationships
    • political alliance is a twoway thing -- T. H. White 1986
  6. involving two participants
    • a twoway race
  7. usable in either of two manners
    • a twoway lamp

twoway street -n

  1. a situation or relationship requiring give-and-take
    • marriage is a two-way street

twowheel·er [-'hwē-lər, -'wē-] -n

  1. a 2-wheeled vehicle (as a bicycle)

twowinged fly ['tü-'wiŋ(d)-] -n

  1. fly

twp -abbr

  1. township

TWX -abbr

  1. teletypewriter exchange