Hypertext Webster Gateway: "twitch"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Twitch \Twitch\, 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.
Thrice they twitched the diamond in her ear. --Pope.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Twitch \Twitch\, n.
1. The act of twitching; a pull with a jerk; a short, sudden,
quick pull; as, a twitch by the sleeve.
2. A short, spastic contraction of the fibers or muscles; a
simple muscular contraction; as, convulsive twitches; a
twitch in the side.
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.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
twitch
n : a sudden spasm; especially one caused by a nervous condition
[syn: {twitching}, {vellication}]
v 1: make an uncontrolled, short, jerky motion; "his face is
twitching" [syn: {jerk}]
2: move with abrupt, seemingly uncontrolled motions; "The
patient's legs were jerkings" [syn: {jerk}]
3: toss with a sharp movement so as to cause to turn over in
the air [syn: {flip}]
4: squeeze tightly between the fingers; "He pinched her
behind"; "She squeezed the bottle" [syn: {pinch}, {vellicate},
{squeeze}, {twinge}, {tweet}, {nip}]
5: move or pull with a sudden motion
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