twit

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Twitched p. pr. & vb. n. Twitching. ] [ OE. twicchen, fr. (doubtful) AS. twiccian; akin to AS. angeltwicca a worm used for bait, literally, a hook twitcher, LG. twikken to tweak, G. zwicken. Cf. Tweak. ] To pull with a sudden jerk; to pluck with a short, quick motion; to snatch; as, to twitch one by the sleeve; to twitch a thing out of another's hand; to twitch off clusters of grapes. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thrice they twitched the diamond in her ear. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of twitching; a pull with a jerk; a short, sudden, quick pull; as, a twitch by the sleeve. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A short, spastic contraction of the fibers or muscles; a simple muscular contraction; as, convulsive twitches; a twitch in the side. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Far.) A stick with a hole in one end through which passes a loop, which can be drawn tightly over the upper lip or an ear of a horse. By twisting the stick the compression is made sufficiently painful to keep the animal quiet during a slight surgical operation. J. H. Walsh. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, twitches. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Bot.) See Quitch grass. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) (a) The European tree sparrow. (b) The mountain linnet (Linota flavirostris). [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The meadow pipit. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Twit. ] One who twits, or reproaches; an upbraider. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Twittered p. pr. & vb. n. Twittering. ] [ OE. twiteren; of imitative origin; cf. G. zwitschern, OHG. zwizzirōn, D. kwetteren, Sw. qvittra, Dan. quiddre. Cf. Titter. ] 1. To make a succession of small, tremulous, intermitted noises. [ 1913 Webster ]

The swallow twittering from the straw-built shed. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make the sound of a half-suppressed laugh; to titter; to giggle. J. Fletcher. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. [ Perhaps influenced by twitch. ] To have a slight trembling of the nerves; to be excited or agitated. [ 1913 Webster ]