twitch
twitch Lexical Profile
twitch Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A short, sudden, often involuntary contraction or jerking movement of a muscle or part of the body.
"Lack of sleep had caused a slight, persistent twitch beneath his left eye."
A sudden, quick pull or tug on something.
"With a quick twitch of the reins, the rider directed the horse toward the gate."
A veterinary instrument consisting of a loop of cord or chain attached to a handle, tightened around the upper lip of a horse to calm or restrain it during medical procedures.
"The veterinarian applied a twitch to keep the nervous stallion still while examining its hoof."
• verb
To make or cause to make a short, sudden, often involuntary jerking movement.
"The cat's ears twitched at the faint sound of a mouse rustling in the grass."
To pull or draw something with a sudden, quick jerk.
"She twitched the curtain aside to see who was standing in the driveway."
British To travel long distances specifically to see a rare bird whose presence has been reported.
"Hundreds of enthusiasts spent the weekend twitching along the Norfolk coast after a rare warbler was spotted."
• Rhymes for twitch
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English twicchen ('to pull sharply or jerk'), derived from an unrecorded Old English *twiccian, related to Old English twiccan ('to pluck or gather') and Middle Low German twikken ('to pinch or tweak').