twist

twist¹ S3 [twıst] v

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1¦(move)¦

2¦(bend)¦

3¦(wind)¦

4¦(turn)¦

5¦(road/river)¦

6¦(words)¦

7 twist your ankle/wrist/knee

8 twist and turn

9 twist somebody's arm

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[Date: 1300-1400; : Old English; Origin: twist 'rope']

1.) ¦(MOVE)¦ [I and T]

a) to turn a part of your body around or change your position by turning

▪ He twisted his head slightly, and looked up at her.

twist round/around

▪ She twisted round, so that she could see the dog better.

b) if you twist your mouth or features, you smile in an unpleasant way or look angry, disapproving etc

▪ His mouth twisted in a humourless smile.

2.) ¦(BEND)¦ [T]

to bend or turn something, such as wire, hair, or cloth, into a particular shape

twist sth into sth

▪ She twisted her handkerchief into a knot.

twist sth together

▪ Twist the two ends of the wire together.

3.) ¦(WIND)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition]

to wind something around or through an object

twist sth round/around/through etc sth

▪ She twisted a silk scarf round her neck.

▪ Ann twisted some daisies through Katherine's thick brown hair.

4.) ¦(TURN)¦ [T]

to turn something in a circle using your hand

twist sth off (sth)

▪ Jack twisted the cap off the bottle.

5.) ¦(ROAD/RIVER)¦

if a road, river etc twists, it changes direction in a series of curves

▪ The road twisted between spectacular mountains.

6.) ¦(WORDS)¦ [T]

to change the true or intended meaning of a statement, especially in order to get some advantage for yourself

▪ He's always trying to twist my words and make me look bad.

7.) twist your ankle/wrist/knee

to hurt your wrist etc by pulling or turning it too suddenly while you are moving

▪ Harriet slipped on the stairs and twisted her ankle.

8.) twist and turn

a) if a path, road, stream etc twists and turns, it has a lot of bends in it

▪ The river twists and turns through the green fields.

b) if a person or animal twists and turns, they make twisting movements

9.) twist sb's arm

a) [i]informal to persuade someone to do something they do not want to do

▪ No one twisted my arm about coming to see you.

b) to bend someone's arm upwards behind their back in order to hurt them

▪ The policeman twisted my arm behind me and arrested me.

→twist/wrap sb around your little finger at ↑finger¹ (8)

→twist the knife (in the wound) at ↑knife¹ (3)

twist ²

twist² n

1.) an unexpected feature or change in a situation or series of events

a new/cruel/unexpected/strange etc twist

▪ The robbery took a deadly new twist as the robber pulled out a gun.

▪ an unexpected twist in the plot

▪ By an amazing twist of fate , we met again in Madrid five years later.

2.) a twisting action or movement

▪ He smiled, a slow cynical twist of his lips.

3.) a bend in a river or road

4.) a small piece of something that is twisted into a particular shape

twist of

▪ a twist of lemon

5.) the twist

a popular fast dance from the 1960s in which you twist your body from side to side

6.) round the twistBrE spoken

a) crazy

▪ 'The woman's mad,' she told herself. 'She's round the twist.'

b) very angry

>twisty adj

▪ a twisty road

→(don't) get your knickers in a twist at ↑knickers