dial. and colloq. [app. an imitative formation suggested by TWIST v.: cf. TWISTLE v.]
1. intr. To rotate rapidly, spin, twirl.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, s.v., He came twizzling down.
1886. P. S. Robinson, Valley Teet. Trees, 126. But those on the more exposed spots were fairly ‘twizzling’ like tops.
1898. Kipling, in Morn. Post, 11 Nov., 5/2. From 6 to 10 p.m. one screw twizzled for the most part in the circumambient ether.
1908. W. W. Jacobs, Salthaven, ii. 12. I suppose you never twizzle round on your chair, Bassett?
2. trans. To twirl, twist; to turn round; to form by twisting.
1854. Baker, Northampt. Gloss., Twizzle, to twist, to twirl. Variously applied…. Corn that is beat about by the wind in different directions, till it is twisted and entangled, is said to be twizzled.
1866. Brogden, Linc. Gloss., I have twizzled all the cotton.
1887. C. Keene, Lett., in Life, xii. (1892), 391. My friends directly after breakfast began twizzling up cigarettes.
1888. F. Barrett, Recoiling Vengeance, vi. The girl he loved was being hugged and twizzled round by his rival.
1890. N. & Q., 7th Ser. IX. 138/1. If a couple of waxed-ends became twizzled [in the game of ‘cob-nut’].
1905. Longm. Mag., June, 134. ‘Shall us come and twizzle th’ old churn?’
