7 VERB If you say that someone has twisted something that you have said, you disapprove of them because they have repeated it in a way that changes its meaning, in order to harm you or benefit themselves. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n] It's a shame the way that the media can twist your words and misrepresent you.
8 N‑COUNT A twist in something is an unexpected and significant development. □ The battle of the sexes also took a new twist.
9 N‑COUNT A twist is the shape that something has when it has been twisted. □ [+ of ] …bunches of violets in twists of paper.
10 PHRASE If something happens by a twist of fate , it happens by chance, and it is strange, interesting, or unfortunate in some way. □ By a curious twist of fate, cricket was also my favourite sport.
11 → see also twisted
12 to twist someone's arm → see arm ➊
13 to get your knickers in a twist → see knickers
14 to twist the knife → see knife
twist|ed /tw I st I d/ ADJ If you describe a person as twisted , you dislike them because you think they are strange in an unpleasant way. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a twisted man who shot at the president.
twist|er /tw I stə r / (twisters ) N‑COUNT A twister is the same as a tornado . [AM ]
twisty /tw I sti/ ADJ A twisty road, track, or river has a lot of sharp bends and corners.
twit /tw I t/ (twits ) N‑COUNT If you call someone as a twit , you are insulting them and saying that they are silly or stupid. [BRIT , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
twitch /tw I tʃ/ (twitches , twitching , twitched ) VERB If something, especially a part of your body, twitches or if you twitch it, it makes a little jumping movement. □ [V ] When I stood up to her, her right cheek would begin to twitch. □ [V n] Stern twitched his shoulders. ● N‑COUNT Twitch is also a noun. □ He developed a nervous twitch and began to blink constantly.
twitch|er /tw I tʃə r / (twitchers ) N‑COUNT A twitcher is an enthusiastic bird-watcher. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
twitchy /tw I tʃi/ ADJ If you are twitchy , you are behaving in a rather nervous way that shows you feel anxious and cannot relax. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ about ] Afraid of bad publicity, the department had suddenly become very twitchy about journalists.
twit|ter /tw I tə r / (twitters , twittering , twittered )
1 VERB When birds twitter , they make a lot of short high-pitched sounds. □ [V ] There were birds twittering in the eucalyptus trees. □ [V -ing] …a tree filled with twittering birds. ● N‑UNCOUNT Twitter is also a noun. □ [+ of ] Naomi would waken to the twitter of birds.
2 VERB If you say that someone is twittering about something, you mean that they are speaking about silly or unimportant things, usually rather fast or in a high-pitched voice. □ [V + about ] …debutantes twittering excitedly about Christian Dior dresses. □ [V with quote] She laughs, blushes and twitters: 'Oh, doesn't Giles have just the most charming sense of humour?' [Also V ]
two ◆◆◆ /tuː / (twos )
1 NUM Two is the number 2. □ He is now married with two children.
2 PHRASE If you say it takes two or it takes two to tango , you mean that a situation or argument involves two people and they are both therefore responsible for it. □ Divorce is never the fault of one partner; it takes two. □ It takes two to tango and so far our relationship has been one-sided.
3 PHRASE If you put two and two together , you work out the truth about something for yourself, by using the information that is available to you. □ Putting two and two together, I assume that this was the car he used.
4 to kill two birds with one stone → see bird
5 two a penny → see penny
two -bit ADJ [ADJ n] You use two-bit to describe someone or something that you have no respect for or that you think is inferior. [AM , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …some two-bit little dictator. □ That may be two-bit psychology, but it's the only explanation I have.
two -dime nsional also two dimensional
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A two-dimensional object or figure is flat rather than solid so that only its length and width can be measured. □ …new software, which generates both two-dimensional drawings and three-dimensional images.
2 ADJ If you describe fictional characters as two-dimensional , you are critical of them because they are very simple and not realistic enough to be taken seriously. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ I found the characters very two-dimensional, not to say dull.
two -fa ced ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you describe someone as two-faced , you are critical of them because they say they do or believe one thing when their behaviour or words show that they do not do it or do not believe it. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He had been devious and two-faced.
two|fold /tuː foʊld/ also two-fold ADJ You can use twofold to introduce a topic that has two equally important parts. [FORMAL ] □ The case against is twofold: too risky and too expensive.
two -ha nded ADJ [usu ADJ n, oft ADJ after v] A two-handed blow or catch is done using both hands.
two -ho rse ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe a contest as a two-horse race, you mean that only two of the people or things taking part have any chance of winning. □ The election may not be the traditional two-horse race between the preferred Democrat and Republican party candidates.