[go: up one dir, main page]
Advertisement

Origin and history of twine

twine(n.)

"strong thread made from two or more twisted strands," Middle English twine, from Old English twin "double thread," from Proto-Germanic *twiznaz "double thread, twisted thread" (source also of Dutch twijn, Low German twern, German zwirn "twine, thread"), from PIE root *dwo- "two." Extended to any coarse cord composed of several strands and used more generally in U.S. than Britain. Also formerly "a clasping (amorous) embrace" (c. 1600).

twine(v.)

"make (threads) double, twist two or more strands together to form twine," c. 1300, from twine (n.) and probably also from Old Norse tvinna "to double."

The sense of "to twist, wind, or coil around something" (as twine does) is recorded from late 14c. Intransitive sense of "interweave, become interwoven" is from 14c. Related: Twined; twining.

also from c. 1300

Entries linking to twine

entwine(v.)

also intwine, "to twist round," 1590s, from en- (1) "make, put in" + twine (n.). Related: Entwined; entwining; entwinement.

intertwine(v.)

1640s (trans.), a hybrid from inter- + twine (v.). Intransitive sense is from 1782. Related: Intertwined; intertwining.

*dwo-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "two."

It might form all or part of: anadiplosis; balance; barouche; between; betwixt; bezel; bi-; binary; bis-; biscuit; combination; combine; deuce; deuterium; Deuteronomy; di- (1) "two, double, twice;" dia-; dichotomy; digraph; dimity; diode; diphthong; diploid; diploma; diplomacy; diplomat; diplomatic; diplodocus; double; doublet; doubloon; doubt; dozen; dual; dubious; duet; duo; duodecimal; duplex; duplicate; duplicity; dyad; epididymis; hendiadys; pinochle; praseodymium; redoubtable; twain; twelfth; twelve; twenty; twi-; twice; twig; twilight; twill; twin; twine; twist; 'twixt; two; twofold; zwieback.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit dvau, Avestan dva, Greek duo, Latin duo, Old Welsh dou, Lithuanian dvi, Old Church Slavonic duva, Old English twa, twegen, German zwei, Gothic twai "two;" first element in Hittite ta-ugash "two years old."

    Advertisement

    More to explore

    string
    Middle English streng, from Old English streng "line, slender cord, thick thread," also a rope, also the string of a bow or harp, which tightly stretched produces the tone; in plural "tackle, rigging;" also "lineage, race." This is from Proto-Germanic *strangiz (source also of Ol
    twist
    mid-14c., "flat part of a hinge" (now obsolete), probably from Old English -twist "divided object; fork; rope" (as in mæsttwist "mast rope, stay;" candeltwist "wick"), from Proto-Germanic *twis-, from PIE root *dwo- "two." Original senses suggest "dividing in two" (source also of
    distort
    1580s, "twist the true meaning, pervert the truth regarding," from Latin distortus, past participle of distorquere "to twist different ways, distort," from dis- "completely" (see dis-) + torquere "to twist" (from PIE root *terkw- "to twist"). Literal sense of "to twist or wrest o
    spaghetti
    (as sparghetti, in 4th edition of Eliza Acton's "Modern Cookery"), from Italian spaghetti, plural of spaghetto "string, twine...
    dock
    *dokko "something round, bundle" (source also of Old Norse dokka "bundle; girl," Danish dukke "a bundle, bunch, ball of twine...
    complex
    transferred use, "to hold fast, master, comprehend," from com "with, together" (see com-) + plectere "to weave, braid, twine...
    perplexity
    perplexus "confused, involved, interwoven," from per- "completely" + plexus "entangled," past participle of plectere "to twine...
    knot
    Old English cnotta "intertwining of ropes, cords, etc.," from Proto-Germanic *knuttan- (source also of Low German knütte, Old Frisian knotta "knot," Dutch knot, Old High German knoto, German Knoten, perhaps also Old Norse knutr "knot, knob"). For pronunciation, see kn-. Figurativ
    interlace
    formerly also enterlace, late 14c. (trans.), "unite by crossing the laces," thus, "entangle, bind together," from Old French entrelacier (12c.), from entre- (see entre-) "between" + lacier "to tie, entangle," from laz (see lace (n.)). Intransitive sense from 1590s. Television sen
    wring
    Old English wringan "press, strain, wring, twist" (class III strong verb; past tense wrang, past participle wrungen), from Proto-Germanic *wreng- (source also of Old English wringen "to wring, press out," Old Frisian wringa, Middle Dutch wringhen, Dutch wringen "to wring," Old Hi

    Share twine

    Advertisement
    Trending
    Dictionary entries near twine
    Advertisement