dial. [f. TWITCH sb.1 or v.1] A noose; spec. = TWITCH sb.1 3 b. dial.

1

1688.  [implied in twitchelling below].

2

1841.  [see TWITCH v.1 6 b].

3

1882.  Lanc. Gloss., Twitchel, a short wooden lever with a loop of rope fastened to one end; the rope is put round the lower jaw of an unruly horse, and the stick is twisted round.

4

  Hence Twitchelled a., noosed, held in a noose; Twitchelling, the taking of fish with a noose.

5

1688.  Chetham, Angler’s Vade-m., Pref. The unlawful practice … of Damming, Groping, Spearing, Hanging, Twitchelling, [etc.].

6

1855.  E. Waugh, Lanc. Life (1857), 31. He wacker’t an’ stare’t like a twichelt dog.

7

1865.  B. Brierley, Irkdale, II. 128. He geet how’d o’ th’ young womman, an’ made her squeeal as leawd as a twitchelt gonner wi’ th’ squeeze he gan her.

8