[f. TWITTER v.1]
1. A condition of twittering or tremulous excitement (from eager desire, fear, etc.); a state of agitation; a flutter, a tremble. Now chiefly dial.
1678. Butler, Hud., III. I. 83. The ancient errant knights Won all their ladies’ hearts in fights, And cut whole giants into fritters, To put them into amorous twitters.
a. 1734. North, Exam., I. iii. § 31 (1740), 141. The Attorney-General … was in a Twitter; for some of his Friends told him he would certainly be questioned for it in Parliament.
1802. G. Colman, Poor Gentleman, I. i. If I ben’t all of a twitter to see my old John Harrowby again!
1825. J. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, II. 151. A leap of the heart … and a sort of tingling twitter through all his blood.
1861. Thackeray, Four Georges, iv. (1862), 198. In a twitter of indignation.
1869. Trollope, He knew, etc., xxxi. [She] was in a twitter, partly of expectation, and partly … of fear.
1869. Louisa M. Alcott, Little Women, vi. Beth hurried on in a twitter of suspense.
b. A suppressed laugh, a titter; a fit of laughter. dial.
1736. Lewis, Isle of Tenet, Gloss. s.v. (E.D.S.). He is in a mighty twitter.
1847–78. Halliwell, Twitter,… (2) A fit of laughter. Kent.
2. An act or the action of twittering, as a bird; light tremulous chirping. Also transf. a sound resembling this.
1842. Browning, Waring, I. vi. 35. As pours some pigeon … her melodious cry Amid their [swallows’] barbarous twitter!
1849. W. S. Mayo, Kaloolah, v. (1850), 40. The hesitating twitter of the sleepy birds.
1871. Blackie, Four Phases, i. 43. A mere swallow-twitter of inarticulate jargon.
1902. Snaith, Wayfarers, xvi. The ceaseless twitter of the rain on the road.
