slang or colloq. [Origin unascertained.]
1. trans. a. To watch; to look at; to inspect.
1764. Foote, Mayor of G., II. Wks. 1792, I. 180. Now, twig him; now, mind him: mark how he hawls his muscles about.
1824. Scott, St. Ronan’s, iv. ‘Twig the old connoisseur,’ said the squire to the knight.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xx. ‘They’re a twiggin’ of you, sir,’ whispered Mr. Weller.
1841. J. T. Hewlett, Parish Clerk, I. 173. Oblige me by twigging that trio.
1876. A. J. Evans, Through Bosnia, iii. 89. A motley assemblage … ‘twigged us’ at their leisure.
b. To become aware of by seeing; to perceive, discern, catch sight of; to recognize.
1796. J. G. Holman, Abroad & at Home, III. ii. He twigs me. He knows Dicky here in his real and masquerade character both.
1801. M. G. Lewis, Tales Wonder, Sailor’s T., ii. With strange surprise and fear, Jack Tackle’s ghost I twigg’d.
1825. Lady Granville, Lett., 30 Jan. (1894), I. 339. They have twigged me.
1860. Hunting Grounds Old World, Ser. I. xii. (ed. 2), 189. The leader, whom at last I twigged lying down and chewing the cud.
1879. F. Pollok, Sport Brit. Burmah, I. 191. I twigged the tigress creeping away in front of us.
2. fig. To understand, comprehend.
1815. Zeluca, III. 144. You twig me—eh?
1821. Lady Granville, Lett. (1894), I. 208. York roared again [at the jokes]. Clarence was dull and did not twig them.
1852. R. S. Surtees, Sponge’s Sp. Tour, xxvii. 166. I twigged what you were after, and kept him up in talk.
1897. ‘Tivoli’ (H. W. Bleakley), Short Innings, ix. Make a howler or two, or else he’ll twig you’ve cribbed.
b. intr.
1833. M. Scott, Tom Cringle, xiii. (1859), 31. The Captain twigged and smiled.
1845. Disraeli, Sybil, III. x. ‘I twig,’ said Mick.
1893. Leland, Mem., I. 197. I twig; it’s all right; I’ll keep your secret.
