Forms: 4–7 twyne, 4 (9 dial.) tweyne, 4–5 twyn, 6 Sc. tuyn, 6– twine. Pa. t. and pple. twined; also pa. t. 6 Sc. twane; pa. pple. 4 twynnen, 6 twon, 7 twone. See also TWIND v. [ME. twīnen, = WFris. twine, twynje, Du. twijnen (in Kilian also tweynen), related to TWINE sb.1 Cf. Icel., Norw., Sw. tvinna, Da. tvinde (NFris. twinne, etc.), and Du. tweernen, MLG. twernen, MHG. and G. zwirnen (OHG. zwirnên), to twist (thread).]
I. trans. 1. To twist (two or more strands or filaments) together so as to form a thread or cord; to twist (one thread, etc.) with another; to form (thread or cord) by twisting or spinning; to spin (yarn, etc.) into thread or cord; also generally, to combine or make compact by twisting.
c. 1275. Lay. 14220. Nas þe þwang noht brod Bote ase hit were a twined þred [c. 1205 a twines þræd].
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 191. Þe tayl & his toppyng [were] twynnen of a sute & bounden boþe wyth a bande.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 204. To a torche or a tapre þe trinitee is lykned; As wex and a weke were twyned [v.rr. tweyned, twynnyd] togideres.
14[?]. Tundale’s Vis. (Wagner), 1885. The cordes … were alle wyth silver twynned [rhyme shynned].
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 8. My fatal threed … Wych lachesys hath twynyd ful yerys fyfty.
c. 1470. Henryson, Mor. Fab., VIII. (Preach. Swallow) xxx. His wyfe it span, and twynit [Bann. MS. twane] it in to threid.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 25. Make a lyttell rope … and twyne it as harde together bytwen your handes as ye canne, and soo beynge hard twon,… cut it.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. II. 91. They … do curiously keame their dainty locks … and, hauing twined and bound them vp, they couer them with calles.
1681. in New Mills Cloth Maruf. (S.H.S.), Introd. 86. [Wool] to be carded spunn twisted and twyned for listing to the cloaths made.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 357. Let him … twine The Sallow Twigs to tye the stragling Vine.
1803. R. Anderson, Cumberld. Ball., 55. I mind … at her wheel, How she’d tweyne the slow thread.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! xxv. We’ll twine a double strong halter for the Captain.
1899. Rider Haggard, Swallow, xi. To twine little threads into a rope.
b. fig.
14[?]. Beryn, 686. Þe Nyȝtyngale, His amerous notis, lo, how he twyneth smale! [Cf. OUT-TWINE v., quot. a. 1400].
1430–40. Lydg., Bochas, I. xi. (MS. Bodl. 263), 52/2. Whan Antropos our lyuys threed hath twyned.
1612. Two Noble K., II. ii. 70. Our fortunes Were twyn’d together.
1651. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., II. xxvii. (1739), 128. By Oath, which to make sure, was treble twined.
1670. Dryden, 1st Pt. Conq. Granada, IV. ii. My clue of Life is twin’d with Ozmyn’s Thred.
1827. Scott, Highl. Widow, i. If I persisted in twisting the discourse one way while Donald was twining it another, I should make his objection, like a hempen-cord,… the tougher.
1833. Lamb, Elia, Ser. II. Pref. (1865), 236. To imply and twine with his own identity the griefs and affections of another.
1871. R. H. Hutton, Ess. (1877), I. 77. So closely twined are the threads of human faith and scepticism.
c. transf. To form by interlacing; to weave, to wreathe.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., xv. 139. The Naiads … some dainty Chaplets twine.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Æneid, VIII. 365. A double wreath Evander twin’d.
1709. Prior, Love & Friendship, 51. I’ll twine fresh Garlands for Alexis’ Brows.
1817. Moore, Lalla R. (1824), 311. Oh! twine that wreath for me tonight.
1858. W. T. Matson, Armiger, iv. Poems 59. Mourning garlands twined of many a bloom Of doleful hue.
d. transf. To interlace, entwine.
1679. S. Lee, in Row’s ‘Emmanuel,’ Pref. Pray for the mantle … of Elijah, for the love of John, and the zeal of Paul, to twine hands together.
a. 1701. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus., Euphrates (1732), 2. Two Syrens … twining their fishy Tails together.
1870. Mrs. Riddell, Austin Friars, ii. She only sat still, with her fingers twined together.
1880. Blackw. Mag., Feb., 218. Reata … sat twining her fingers together in silence.
2. To cause (one thing) to encircle or embrace another; to twist, wreathe, clasp, or wrap (a thing) about or around another; also, to insert (one thing) in or into another with a twisting or sinuous movement (also fig.).
c. 1585. Montgomerie, Sonn., viii. 9. About his temple tuyn Ȝour laurell leivis with palmis perfytly plet.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., II. i. Wks. 1856, I. 89. I have but newly twone my arme in the curld locks Of snakie vengeance.
1607. Shaks., Cor., IV. v. 112. Let me twine Mine armes about that body.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 513. In many places he insinuates himselfe within the Land by Gulfes or Bayes, twining his louing armes about some whole countries.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 239. Long bracelets of peeces of gold twined about his arme.
1789. E. Darwin, Bot. Gard., Loves Plants, II. 180. Round the white circlet in relievo bold, A Serpent twines his scaly length.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., I. 38 (The Wife). The vine, which has long twined its graceful foliage about the oak.
1838. Sparks, Biog., IX. 27. The only garment they possess is a blanket elegantly twined about them.
1853. Rock, Ch. of Fathers, III. II. 25. ‘Tropes’ … twined and threaded into the words of the daily service.
1862. Miss Braddon, Lady Audley, xxxii. My lady twined her fingers in her amber curls.
1890. R. Bridges, Shorter Poems (1912), 298. I feel thy being twine Her graces over me.
1901. Alldridge, Sherbro, xxi. 220. The stem [of the pipe] … formed separately by twining a strip of clay round a thin stick of palm cane.
b. refl.
1543. Traheron, Vigo’s Chirurg., Interpr., Vitis alba … twyneth it self aboute brambles, wyth hys tendrelles, as a vine byndeth it selfe to trees.
1662. J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 10. One end of the rope … twin’d itself about one of the Rocks.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 220. They [Snakes] have sometimes twined themselves round the bodies of children, squeezing them till they die.
1823. Lamb, Elia, Ser. II. Poor Relations. Awful ideas … twined themselves about his presence.
1852. Robertson, Serm., Ser. III. xvii. 216. Round which the heart’s best affections have twined themselves.
3. To enfold, wreathe, or encircle (one thing) with another; also of a plant, wreath, etc.: to clasp, encircle, enwrap. Also fig.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., III. iii. Wks. 1856, I. 111. Maist thou be twined with the softst embrace Of clere eternitie.
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, III. 161. Let wreaths of triumph now my temples twine.
1790. W. Wrighte, Grotesque Archit., 3. Branches of trees twined round with ivy.
1819. Wiffen, Aonian Hours (1820), 102. The weed of ruin darkly twines Her marble walls.
1848. Lytton, Harold, I. i. Boys, with their May-gads (peeled willow wands twined with cowslips).
1876. Lowell, Among my Bks., Ser. II. 127. Twining the bare stem of old tradition with graceful sentiment.
4. a. To turn (something) about, away, round, etc.; to twist or wring. Now dial.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., I. v. O, twine your body more about, that you may fall to a more sweet, comely, gentleman-like guard.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XVII. lvii. From the waste shore their steps at last they twinde. Ibid., XX. cxxviii. She shrikes, and twines away her sdeignefull eies, From his sweete face.
a. 1655. J. Naylor, Answ. Perfect Pharisee, 12. You wrest and twine the Scriptures.
1901. F. E. Taylor, Folk-Speech S. Lanc., s.v. (E.D.D.), Iv aw catch him, aw’ll twoine his neck reawnd.
b. To get off, or out, by twisting. Now dial.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XI. xliii. He … from the wound the reed out twinde, But left the iron in his flesh behinde.
1705. S. Wesley, in Quiller-Couch, Hetty Wesley (1913), I. ix. 87. The iron latch of my door was twined off.
1885. Ballads & Poems Glasgow Club, 213. Twine out his lugs, root out his tongue.
II. intr. 5. To wind or twist (about, over, or round something); almost always of a plant: to grow in a twisting or spiral manner; spec. to become twisted or wreathed together in growing; to grow in spiral convolutions. Also fig.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1691. Faxe fyltered,… Þat schad fro his schulderes … & twenty-folde twynande hit to his tos raȝt.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 64 b. It [woodbine] twineth like a threede or line, about other herbes and fruits.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 873. Some [bushes] twin’d about her thigh to make her stay.
1647. Crashaw, Panegyr. Dk. York’s Birth, 38. For whose manly brow Both laurels twine into one wreath.
a. 1652. J. Smith, Sel. Disc., i. 7. Like the wanton ivy … it will twine about our judgments and understandings.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., VIII. 17. Amidst thy Laurels let this Ivy twine.
a. 1748. Thomson, Happy Man, 9. For whom the cooling shade in summer twines.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., I. xxvi. Where Ellen’s hand had taught to twine The ivy and Idæan vine.
1831. G. P. R. James, Phil. Augustus, I. ii. A thousand shrubs and flowers twined … over them.
1875. McLaren, Serm., Ser. II. viii. 136. His heart and will twined … round the fragments.
1875. Bennett & Dyer, Sachs’ Bot., 772. Only a few plants twine to the right … the greater number twine to the left.
1879. Tennyson, Lover’s T., I. 128. The light soul twines and mingles with the growths Of vigorous early days.
† b. To become entangled or complicated. Obs. rare.
1658. Osborn, Adv. Son, Wks. (1673), 220. Whilst one is unraveling, another twines.
† 6. a. Of a weapon: To twist or turn aside. Obs.
c. 1400. Rowland & Otuel, 557. Þe Sarazene … hit hym on þe hede … And nere þe swerde twynede hade, His life þer hade he lefede.
† b. Of timber: To be contorted or irregular in formation. Obs. rare.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XVI. xxxviii. I. 486. If a man lay his eare close to one end of a beame or peece of timber, he shall heare the knocke or pricke that is made but with a penknife at the other end…. By this meanes also a man shall find when the timber doth twine. Ibid., XVI. xl. 490. Because it twineth and casteth not, it is passing good for hinges and hookes, for sawne bords, for ledges in dores and gates.
7. To extend or proceed in a winding manner; to bend, incline circuitously; to wind about, meander; of a serpent, etc., to crawl sinuously (also refl.).
1553. [see TWINING vbl. sb.].
1601. Holland, Pliny, VI. xvii. I. 124. Streight forth, as farre as to that place where India beginneth to twine and bend toward the Indian sea.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., Irel., II. 117. The shore, as it twineth backe from hence Southerly.
1674. Josselyn, Voy. New Eng., 2. The 28th we twined into the Downs.
c. 1710. Celia Fiennes, Diary (1888), 291. The river runns twineing about.
a. 1774. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 464. I have been forced to twist and twine over a great deal more ground than had otherwise been needful.
1831. Scott, Ct. Robt., ix. The snake … twines himself through the grass.
1857. Gosse, Omphalos, ii. 40. Sea-worms twined over the mud.
1902. Buchan, Watcher by Threshold, 267. The little brown river … twined to the sea.
1913. Daily News, 28 March, 6. A highway … twining through a wilderness.
† b. To turn away. Obs. rare.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XVIII. xxxiii. But yet the knight, wise, warie, not vnkind, Drew foorth his sword and from her carelesse twind.
1614. W. Browne, Shepherd’s Pipe, B vj b. He twyned thence, and home to his countree.
† c. To bend, bow, or sink down. Obs.–1
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XX. xliii. Right on the front he gaue that Ladie kinde A blow, so huge,… That out of sense and feeling, downe she twinde.
8. To contort the body; to writhe, wriggle, squirm. Now dial.
1666. Bunyan, Grace Abounding, § 166. Thus did I wind, and twine, and shrink under the burthen that was upon me.
1680. V. Alsop, Mischief Impos., iii. 19. When men are pincht with plain Scripture, they use to twist and twine and turn themselves into all shapes to get out of their streights.
1734. trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), I. 75. The antagonists tumbling and twining with each other.
1837. Mrs. Palmer, Devonshire Dial., II. 17. I’d twack thee till I made thee twine like an angletwitch.
1877. Mrs. M. Trotter, Gall. Gossip, 290. The wean twining and kicking.
