twine

views updated Jun 11 2018

twine / twīn/ • n. strong thread or string consisting of two or more strands of hemp, cotton, or nylon twisted together.• v. [tr.] cause to wind or spiral round something: she twined her arms around his neck. ∎  [intr.] (of a plant) grow so as to spiral around a support: runner beans twined around canes. ∎  interlace: a spray of jasmine was twined in her hair.DERIVATIVES: twin·er n.ORIGIN: Old English twīn ‘thread, linen,’ from the Germanic base of twi- ‘two’; related to Dutch twijn.

twine

views updated May 14 2018

twine thread of two or more strands. OE. twīn, twiġin linen = Du. twijn twine, twist, f. Gmc. *twi- TWI-,
Hence vb. XIII.