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TWIST
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I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Any clever maneuver
Example:
a cheap promotions gimmick for greedy businessmen
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
maneuver; manoeuvre; tactical maneuver; tactical manoeuvre (a move made to gain a tactical end)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):
mnemonic (a device (such as a rhyme or acronym) used to aid recall)
fast one; trick (a cunning or deceitful action or device)
Sense 2
Meaning:
The act of rotating rapidly
Example:
it broke off after much twisting
Synonyms:
spin; twirl; twist; twisting; whirl
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
rotary motion; rotation (the act of rotating as if on an axis)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):
pirouette ((ballet) a rapid spin of the body (especially on the toes as in ballet))
birling; logrolling (rotating a log rapidly in the water (as a competitive sport))
Derivation:
twist (turn in the opposite direction)
twist (twist or pull violently or suddenly, especially so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Turning or twisting around (in place)
Example:
with a quick twist of his head he surveyed the room
Synonyms:
turn; twist
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
rotary motion; rotation (the act of rotating as if on an axis)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):
twiddle (a series of small (usually idle) twists or turns)
Sense 4
Meaning:
The act of winding or twisting
Example:
he put the key in the old clock and gave it a good wind
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
rotary motion; rotation (the act of rotating as if on an axis)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Social dancing in which couples vigorously twist their hips and arms in time to the music; was popular in the 1960s
Example:
they liked to dance the twist
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
social dancing (dancing as part of a social occasion)
Derivation:
twist (do the twist)
Sense 6
Meaning:
A hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
coif; coiffure; hair style; hairdo; hairstyle (the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair))
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):
queue (a braid of hair at the back of the head)
pigtail (a plait of braided hair)
Derivation:
twist (form into twists)
Sense 7
Meaning:
An interpretation of a text or action
Example:
they put an unsympathetic construction on his conduct
Synonyms:
construction; twist
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
interpretation (an explanation that results from interpreting something)
Derivation:
twist (practice sophistry; change the meaning of or be vague about in order to mislead or deceive)
Sense 8
Meaning:
A jerky pulling movement
Synonyms:
twist; wrench
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
motion; movement (a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something)
Derivation:
twist (twist or pull violently or suddenly, especially so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates)
twist (to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling))
Sense 9
Meaning:
An unforeseen development
Example:
events suddenly took an awkward turn
Synonyms:
turn; turn of events; twist
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
development (a recent event that has some relevance for the present situation)
Sense 10
Meaning:
A miniature whirlpool or whirlwind resulting when the current of a fluid doubles back on itself
Synonyms:
eddy; twist
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
current; stream (a steady flow of a fluid (usually from natural causes))
Sense 11
Meaning:
A circular segment of a curve
Example:
a crook in the path
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
curve; curved shape (the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):
bight (a bend or curve (especially in a coastline))
Sense 12
Meaning:
A sharp bend in a line produced when a line having a loop is pulled tight
Synonyms:
kink; twirl; twist
Classified under:
Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
bend; crease; crimp; flexure; fold; plication (an angular or rounded shape made by folding)
Derivation:
twist (form into a spiral shape)
Sense 13
Meaning:
A sharp strain on muscles or ligaments
Example:
he was sidelined with a hamstring pull
Synonyms:
pull; twist; wrench
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("twist" is a kind of...):
harm; hurt; injury; trauma (any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twist"):
sprain (a painful injury to a joint caused by a sudden wrenching of its ligaments)
Derivation:
twist (twist suddenly so as to sprain)
II. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they twist ... he / she / it twists
Past simple: twisted
Past participle: twisted
-ing form: twisting
Sense 1
Meaning:
Twist suddenly so as to sprain
Example:
I turned my ankle and couldn't walk for several days
Synonyms:
rick; sprain; turn; twist; wrench; wrick
Classified under:
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care
Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):
injure; wound (cause injuries or bodily harm to)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sentence example:
Did he twist his foot?
Derivation:
twist (a sharp strain on muscles or ligaments)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Form into twists
Example:
Twist the strips of dough
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):
form; shape (give shape or form to)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sentence example:
They twist the wire around the stick
Derivation:
twist (a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Practice sophistry; change the meaning of or be vague about in order to mislead or deceive
Example:
Don't twist my words
Synonyms:
convolute; pervert; sophisticate; twist; twist around
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):
denote; refer (have as a meaning)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Derivation:
twist (an interpretation of a text or action)
twisting (the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Turn in the opposite direction
Example:
twist one's head
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):
turn (change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "twist"):
crick (twist (a body part) into a strained position)
quirk (twist or curve abruptly)
curl; wave (twist or roll into coils or ringlets)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
twist (the act of rotating rapidly)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Form into a spiral shape
Example:
The cord is all twisted
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):
change form; change shape; deform (assume a different shape or form)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "twist"):
interweave; weave (interlace by or as if by weaving)
spin (work natural fibers into a thread)
enlace; entwine; interlace; intertwine; lace; twine (spin, wind, or twist together)
entangle; mat; snarl; tangle (twist together or entwine into a confusing mass)
contort; deform; distort; wring (twist and press out of shape)
wrench; wring (twist and compress, as if in pain or anguish)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP
Antonym:
untwist (cause to become untwisted)
Derivation:
twist (a sharp bend in a line produced when a line having a loop is pulled tight)
Sense 6
Meaning:
Cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form
Example:
the strong man could turn an iron bar
Synonyms:
bend; deform; flex; turn; twist
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):
change form; change shape; deform (assume a different shape or form)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "twist"):
dent; indent (make a depression into)
incurvate (cause to curve inward)
gnarl (twist into a state of deformity)
crank (bend into the shape of a crank)
convolute; convolve (curl, wind, or twist together)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Sense 7
Meaning:
Twist or pull violently or suddenly, especially so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates
Example:
a deep sigh was wrenched from his chest
Synonyms:
twist; wrench
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):
pull (apply force so as to cause motion towards the source of the motion)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP
Derivation:
twist (the act of rotating rapidly)
twist (a jerky pulling movement)
Sense 8
Meaning:
To move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)
Example:
The child tried to wriggle free from his aunt's embrace
Synonyms:
squirm; twist; worm; wrestle; wriggle; writhe
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):
move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "twist"):
wrench (make a sudden twisting motion)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Derivation:
twist (a jerky pulling movement)
twister (a localized and violently destructive windstorm occurring over land characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground)
Sense 9
Meaning:
Do the twist
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):
dance; trip the light fantastic; trip the light fantastic toe (move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Sentence example:
Sam and Sue twist
Derivation:
twist (social dancing in which couples vigorously twist their hips and arms in time to the music; was popular in the 1960s)
Sense 10
Meaning:
Extend in curves and turns
Example:
the path twisted through the forest
Synonyms:
curve; twist; wind
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Hypernyms (to "twist" is one way to...):
be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "twist"):
circumvolute (wind or turn in volutions, especially in an inward spiral, as of snail)
spiral (form a spiral)
snake (form a snake-like pattern)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Context examples:
I swear that he might have twisted it off had I understood what it would mean to Garcia.
(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Most of its efforts were ineffectual, but it was persistent, and it writhed and twisted and went ahead perhaps a score of feet an hour.
(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)
Straight toward the square hole of the step the square butt descended; but as it descended it slowly twisted so that square would not fit into square.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
The motions of the sun’s plasma constantly twist and tangle solar magnetic fields . Twisted magnetic fields can lead to solar storms that can negatively affect our technology-dependent modern lifestyles.
(Newest solar telescope produces first images, National Science Foundation)
Researchers at the University of Arizona (UA) and other institutions have discovered a new twist on the idea that evolution is driven by species interactions in a community.
(Colorful bird feathers offer evolutionary clues, National Science Foundation)
The fingers of her right hand were slightly twisted, and there was a small spot on her arm.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
However, it displays odd twists in its structure that were probably caused by an interaction with a large neighbouring galaxy.
(A Galaxy on the Edge, ESO)
As it is, I feel that young man’s grip on my throat now, and the father has twisted my wrist round in the effort to get the paper out of my hand.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Holmes twisted himself round upon the sofa to get a fairer view of the man’s excited face.
(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
I was at the pains of making ropes and cables, by twisting ten, twenty, or thirty of the thickest and strongest of theirs.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
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