twinleaf 
n 
Twinleaf (Jfjfersimia Jifhylla). 
a, [mtil and stamens ; A, ripe fruit : r, full-grown leaf, showing 
nervation. 
+ -ling 1 -.'] A twin. 
Se ze the jonder pore womman how that she Is pyned 
Withe twynlenge* two. 
Rum. ofCheuelere Awr/ne (E. E. T. S.X L 27. 
We may rede and see like thyng in the lyuyng and the 
condicous of the bretheren gemellys cnlliil tiri/id.i/nyes. 
Bake of Tulle of Old Age (ed. Caxton, 1481), K 2 - (Richard- 
[m's Supp.) 
twinne't, twinne-t. A Middle English spell- 
ing of tiriii 1 , t if ill". 
twinner (twin'er), w. [< twin 1 + -er 1 .] One 
who or that which produces twins. Tusser, 
January's Husbandry. 
twinning 1 (twin'ing), n. [Verbal n. of twin*, 
r.] The process or state of being twinned : said 
of crystals. See tutu 1 , n., 3 Secondary twin- 
ning, a molecular reversal produced after the formation 
of the crystal, for example by pressure, as often observed 
in crystals of pyroxene and the (trains of a crystalline 
limestone. In many cases this may be artificially imitated. 
twinning-t (twin'ing), . [< ME. twynnynge; 
verbal n. of (Wfo 9 , .] Separation; parting. 
The sothe is, the twynmjnye of us tweyne 
Wol us disuse and crueliche anoye. 
Chaucer, Troilus, iv. 1308. 
twinning-axis (twin'ing-ak'sis), n. See twin 1 , 
n.. :i. 
twinning-machine (twin'mg-ma-shen*), n. A 
machine for cutting out the teeth of combs: so 
called because the combs are cut in pairs or 
twills. It has a cutter consisting of two chisels which 
act perpendicularly and alternately upon a plate passed 
beneath them, each cutting one side of two teeth, and sev- 
ering one of them from the back of the comb to which it 
does not belong, I'.. //. Knitjht. 
twinning-plane (twiu'ing-pliin), n. See twin 1 , 
n., It. 
twinning-saw (twin'ing-sa), n. A saw for cut- 
ting the teeth of combs : so called because the 
teeth for two combs are cut at one operation, 
the material being bent over in convex form 
to bring it within range of the instrument. Af- 
ter the sawing, each tooth is cut separately 
from the back of the opposite comb by means 
of a plugging-awl. E. H. Knight. 
twin-pair (twin'par), n. A pair of objects al- 
together similar and equal and without any 
third Twin-pair sheet, in gewn,, the surface of a 
cubic or higher cone which meets the concentric sphere 
in two distinct closed curves. 
twin-shell (twin'shel), n. One of the pair of 
symmetrical shells of the dipleuric nassellari- 
aus. 
twinship (twin'ship), . [< tiein 1 + -ship.] The 
character or relation of being twin. 
The sentence which has gone forth for the severance of 
the two measures [the Home-rule Bill and the Irish land 
Bill] is irresistible, and . . . the tirimhip which has been 
for the time disastrous to the hopes of Ireland exists no 
longer. 
Gladstone, quoted in the Spectator, No. 8035, p. 1183. 
twin-spot (t wiu'spot), a. Having a pair of like 
spots: ;is, the tiri/i-apot carpet, a British moth. 
twin-stock (twiu'stok), . A beehive contain- 
ing two colonies. Pliiii, Diet. Apiculture, p. 73. 
twinter(twin'ti'i'),M. [<MV.*twintcr,*tmwintre, 
< AS. tiriwintre (= MLG. tirintir), two winters 
old. < ttci-. two, -f winter, winter.] A beast two 
winters old. [Prov. Eiig. and Scotch.] 
twireH (twir), r. /'. [Also tireer: = G. dial. 
(Bav.) -//( i/. :irii mi. spy, glance; connected 
with ,.-( 'i-c/i. etc., cross: see queer 1 and thwart 1 .] 
1. To glance shyly or slyly; look askance; 
make eyes; leer; pt'rr: pry. 
Which maids will tit-ire at 'tween their tlngi-iK thus ! 
B. JiHiti'ii. I i, ii. I. 
1 saw the wench that in it., I ;m,l twinkled at thee. 
1'1,1,-liff, \Viinien Pleased, Iv. 1. 
The tmerinu constable of Klnshnry, with liis heneh of 
brown-hill niiMi. .W/W.iiWuii, rather llulibard's Tales. 
If I was rich, I could tirire and lull as well as the best 
of them. Steele, Conscious Lovers, L 1. 
2. To twinkle; sparkle; wink. 
When sparkling stars twin not, thou gild'st the even. 
Shak., Sonnet*, xxviii. 
The sun, . . . 
Who with a fervent eye looks through the tii-yrimj glades, 
And his dispersed rays commixeth with the shades. 
Uraytan, Polyolbion, xiii. 109. 
twireH (twir), . [Also titcer; < lirin- 1 . r.] A 
sly glance ; a leer. 
The fonnal Bows, 
The affected smiles, the silly By-words, and Amorous 
Tuxers In passing. Etherege, Man of Mode, iii. 3. 
twire' 2 t (twir), n. [= D. tweern = MHG. zirirn, 
,-ii-iriii, (i. :irirn, twine; akin to twine 1 .] A 
twisted filament; a thread. 
They put the cocons In hot water, and so stirring them 
about with a kind of rod, the ends of the silk twiret of the 
cocons stick to It, which they laying on upon a turning 
reel draw off from the cocons. Locke, Obs. upon Silk. 
twire 3 (twir), r. t. ; pret. and pp. tirir<-fl, ppr. 
tiririiiy. [Perhaps a dial, form of 'twere, < ME. 
"thweren, < AS. "tliweran, in comp. d-thiceran, 
agitate, stir, = OHG. dweran, MHG. ttrern, G. 
dial. (Bav.) zweren, stir. Cf . twirk, twirl.] To 
twist; twirl. 
No sooner doth a yong man see his sweet-heart com- 
ing, but he ... twiret his beard. 
Burton, Auat. of Mel., p. 534. 
twireasont (twi're'zn), n. [< twi- + reason.] 
A twofold reason. [Bare.] 
Yon shall pardon me 
For a tiri reaxoii of state. 
/>'. Jmimii, Magnetick Lady, iii. 4. 
twirepipet (twir'pip), . [< twire 1 + 
One who peeps or peers ; a peeping Tom. 
You are ... a twirepipe, 
A Jeffrey John Bo-peep ! 
Beau, and Fl., Monsieur Thomas, Iii. 1. 
twirk (twerk), v. t. [Freq. of twin*.] To pull 
or tug; twitch; twin. 
If shee have her hand on the pette [pit, dimple] In her 
cheeke, he is twyrkinff of his mustachios. 
Breton, Praise of Vertuous Ladies, p. 57. (Dames, under 
[!*<>.) 
twirk (twerk), . [< ttcirk, v.] A twitch or 
twirl. Jamieson. [Scotch.] 
twirl (twerl), D. [Early mod. E. twyrle; < ME. 
"ticirlen (f); cf. D. dwarlen = G. dial. (Swiss) 
zwirlen, twirl ; prob. connected with AS. thwiril, 
a churn-staff, stirrer, = OHG. dwiril, MHG. 
twirel, twirl, G. quirl, querl, a twirling-stick, 
Bav. zwirel, a stirrer. Cf. Icel. thrara, a stick 
with a scraper at the end for stirring, Gr. ropvvr/, 
a stirrer, L. trua, a stirrer (see trowel); from 
the verb represented by twire 3 : see twire 3 , and 
cf. twirk. Cf. also tirl.] I. trans. To cause 
to revolve rapidly; spin; whirl; turn round 
and round, usually in an idle, purposeless way; 
twiddle. 
Leave twirling of your hat, and hold your head up, 
And speak to the lady. Fletcher, Rule a Wife, ii. 3. 
With what Ineffable carelessness would he twirl his gold 
chain : Lamb, Old Actors. 
To twirl one'l thumbs, to twiddle the thumbs, for lack 
of better employment ; hence, to do nothing ; be idle. 
Upon my word, Walter, you are pretty cool ! Will it 
amuse me, pray, to twirl my thumbs in your studio? 
W. E. Norrit, Miss Shafto, xxlv. 
II. intrans. 1. To move round; especially, 
to revolve rapidly; be whirled about. 
Take bothe your handes, and twyrle vpon his [a sheep's] 
eye, and if he be ruddy, and haue reed stryndes In the 
white of the eye, than he Is sounde. 
Fitzherbert, Husbandry (Eng. Dialect Soc.), p. 51. 
I had arrived at very considerable agility in the waltz- 
ing line, and could twirl round the room with him at such 
a pace as made the old gentleman pant again. 
Thackeray, F itz-Boodle's Confessions, Dorothea. 
Away they Jumped, with more and more vigour, till Mag- 
gie's hair flew from behind her ears, and twirled about like 
an animated mop. George Eliot, Mill on the Floss, Ii. 1. 
2. To twine; wind; coil; curl. [Bare.] 
So when the wriggling snake is snatch'd on high 
In eagle's claws, and hisses in the sky, 
Around the foe his twirling tail he flings, 
And twists her legs, and writhes about her wings. 
Addison, tr. of Ovid's Metamorph., iv. 
twirl (twerl), . [< tirirl, v.] 1. A rapid cir- 
cular motion. 
He watched the wreaths of steam, until, at the special 
instant of projection, he caught up the iron vessel and 
gave it cue delicate tirirl, esmsing it to send forth one gen- 
tle hiss. Itictria, Our Mutual Friend, i. is. 
twist 
2. A twist; a convolution; a curl; a flourish. 
Jem, in all tho pride "f newiy-nei|iiiivct i" 111,1:111-1, ip 
IIS, '.I (,, ilay/li-her eW'sln IAI r inldiiuin ui:iee 111,, I ; 
\l:ny r.:ilt..ii, Xli. 
twirler (tw.Vl.-r), H. [< tirirl + -rr 1 .] OM 
who or that which twirls. 
Critlcs[in baseball] are still kinking i'i Mi, ],ii, !> 
, Ai-eii. n, v. Alihniigh thajr ttkoowUdc* thai tin- i>,,ini 
of excellence has been nearly approached at times, still 
their ideal lirirler of the diminutive globe has not yet 
made his appearance. 7 (/'"< /.'"<* ".' ->>,;/,< ji. -I 
twiscart (twis'kftr), . Same as />/;. Srn/t. 
Pirate, xii. 
twisselt (twis'l), a. and w. [Also twixtle; < ME. 
tirixi-l, tirixil (= MH(i. .-'//). < AS. fir/-, etc., 
two: see twi-, two, and cf. twist, etc.] I. a. 
Double; twofold. 
Enhancing, and pride, and the shreude wei, and the 
mouth of the tifisil tunge I white [loathe). 
Wyclif, Prov. Till. 18. 
II. . 1. That which is double, as a double 
fruit, or fruit growing in pairs. 
As from a tree we sundrie times espie 
A t iciwll grow by Natures subtile might. 
And beelng two, for cause they grow so nle, 
For one are tane, and so appeare in sight. 
Turbenille, The Lover Wisheth, etc. 
2. That part of a tree where the branches sepa- 
rate from the trunk or bole, 
twissel-tonguedt (twis'l-tungd), o. [ME. tww- 
iltunged; < twissel + tongue + -ed*.] Double- 
tongued. 
Bepret forsothe and strlf the euel roan shal eritagen, 
and eche synnere euuyous and twiml-tumjid. 
Wyclif, Ecclus. vi. 1. 
twist (twist), . [< ME. twist, < AS. twist (in 
comp. msesl-twist), a rope, = MD. twist, a forked 
branch, = Icel. tvistr, the two or deuce in cards ; 
also in another sense, = D. twist = LG. twint 
= MHG. G. zwist = Sw. Dan. tvist, discord, 
strife, odds, = Icel. tvist, in the phrase a tt-ist oy 
bast, scattered to the four winds ; with forma- 
tive -st, < AS. twi-, etc., two: see twi-. Cf. 
twine 1 , twin 1 .] 1. A thread, cord, rope, or the 
like made of two or more strands wound one 
about another; anything resembling such a 
rope or coil. 
Breaking his oath and resolution like 
A twist of rotten silk. Shak., Cor., v. 6. 96. 
I saw about her spotlesse wrist 
Of blackest silk a curious twist. 
Herrick, Upon a Black Tiritt Rounding the Arm of the 
[Countess of Carlisle. 
A twiit of gold was round her hair. 
Tennymn, Merlin and Vivien. 
.specifically (o) A kind of strong, close silk thread used 
for sewing. 
All the fine sewing silk was proved to be free from lead 
or other metal. But we found metal very abundant in 
what is called " tailors' twitt " and "hatters' twitt," espe- 
cially the latter. Ure, Diet., IV. 524. 
(6) A kind of cotton yarn of several varieties. 
Being from two roves in place of one, it [cotton yarn for 
stockings] is called double-spun twist. 
Encyc. Brit., VI. BOO. 
(c) In weaving, the warp-thread of the web. K. H. Knight. 
(d) A loaf or roll of twisted dough baked. 
In short order the dough is turned Into twists, high 
loaves, pan loaves, and other styles of the same quality. 
Sci. Amer., N. a, LIX. 273. 
(e) A kind of manufactured tobacco made in the form of a 
rope or thick cord. 
2f. A fabric made with a double and hence 
heavy thread; coarse cloth. Compare tirine 1 , 
n., 1, and twine 1 , a. 
Ne to weare garments base of wollen tvrist, 
But with the finest silkes us to aray. 
Spenter, Mother Hub. Tale, L 400. 
3f. A forked branch; a twig; a spray. 
On his bak she stood, 
And caught* hire by a twiste, and up she gooth. 
Chaucer, Merchant's Tale, 1. 1106. 
So long as a sprigge, twint, or braunche is yong, It Is 
flexible and bowable to any thing a man can desire. 
Stubbet, Anat. of Abuses (ed. Funiivall), I. 76. 
4t. Same as fork, 5. 
A man of common helgth might easilie go vnder his 
twist without stooping, a stature incredible. 
Harrison, Descrip. of Britain, v. (Holinsbed's Chron., I.). 
5f. A hinge. 
And the herris, ether twistit, of the temple schulen 
greetli sowne. Vyd\f, Amos vili. 8. 
6. An intertwining or interlacing; a knot or 
net, or other interwoven contrivance. 
He tames a Heifer, and on either side, 
On either horn a three-fold twist he ty'd 
Of Osiar twigs. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, ii., The Handy-Crafts. 
7. A spiral form, disposition, or arrangement, 
such as may be produced by bending round both 
ends of an object in opposite directions ; also, 
spiral or progressive rotary motion, or the path 
