noun / verb

twist

TWIST/twɪst/

A turn that bends something out of its former direction.

The woman twists the damp cloth, tightening its middle into a spiral.

An older woman twists a damp cloth between both hands, with a clearly tightened spiral in the middle and water dripping beneath it.

Etymology

twistOld Englishdivided object; fork; rope

The connection to Old English -twist, 'divided object; rope,' is probable, as is the verb's derivation from the noun. Its early sense 'wring' directly anticipates turning or bending something out of shape.

In context

Enhanced Public Domain178:41

the rolling of the Waves would rack and twist them so as to tear the platforms asunder and sink the men into the sea

Alexander the Great Biography (Audiobook)

More examples

She twists the wire into a loop.
I twisted my ankle on the uneven sidewalk.
Don't twist my words to make me sound angry.

Forms

twist · twists · twisted · twisting

Similar words

bend: Changes direction or shape without necessarily involving rotation.
kink: A sharp, tight bend, especially in something flexible.
turn: Changes direction or position without necessarily bending anything.