Twist (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Twisted; p. pr. & vb. n. Twisting.] [OE.
twisten, AS. twist a rope, as made of two (twisted) strands, fr. twi-
two; akin to D. twist a quarrel, dissension, G. zwist, Dan. & Sw.
tvist, Icel. twistr the deuce in cards, tvistr distressed. See Twice,
Two.] 1. To contort; to writhe; to complicate; to crook spirally; to
convolve.
Twist it into a serpentine form.
Pope.
2. Hence, to turn from the true form or meaning; to pervert; as, to
twist a passage cited from an author.
3. To distort, as a solid body, by turning one part relatively to
another about an axis passing through both; to subject to torsion; as,
to twist a shaft.
4. To wreathe; to wind; to encircle; to unite by intertexture of parts.
"Longing to twist bays with that ivy." Waller.
There are pillars of smoke twisted about wreaths of flame.
T. Burnet.
5. To wind into; to insinuate; — used reflexively; as, avarice twists
itself into all human concerns.
6. To unite by winding one thread, strand, or other flexible substance,
round another; to form by convolution, or winding separate things round
each other; as, to twist yarn or thread. Shak.
7. Hence, to form as if by winding one part around another; to wreathe;
to make up.
Was it not to this end That thou began'st to twist so fine a story?
Shak.
8. To form into a thread from many fine filaments; as, to twist wool or
cotton.
Twist, v. i. 1. To be contorted; to writhe; to be distorted by torsion;
to be united by winding round each other; to be or become twisted; as,
some strands will twist more easily than others.