English Explanatory Dictionary

twit

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To blame or reproach (someone), especially in a good-natured or teasing manner; also, to ridicule or tease (someone).
  2. To criticize or disapprove of (something), especially in a good-natured or teasing manner.
  3. To ignore or kill file (a user on a bulletin board system).
  4. Followed by it: to speak or write (something) in a taunting or teasing manner.
  5. To blame or reproach, especially in a good-natured or teasing manner.
  6. To be indiscreet; to gossip.
noun
  1. A jibe, reproach, or taunt, especially one made in a good-natured or teasing manner.
  2. An annoying or foolish person.
  3. A person who chatters or gossips inanely; a chatterer, a gossip or gossiper; also, a person who divulges private information about others or is indiscreet; a tattletale.
intj
  1. Used to represent the short, high-pitched call of a small bird, or a similar sound made by something else: cheep, tweet.
noun
  1. A short, high-pitched call of a small bird, or a similar sound made by something else; a cheep, a chirp, a tweet.
noun
  1. Chiefly in the form in a twit: clipping of twitter (“a state of excitement or nervousness”).
noun
  1. Clipping of twitter (“a knot or other defect in a thread or yarn which hinders spinning or weaving”).

Pronunciation

/twɪt/ [tʰw̥ɪt] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-twit.wav

Word forms

twit twits twitting twitted no-table-tags glossary twittest twittedst twitteth

Etymology

PIE word *h₂éd The verb is an apheretic form of atwite (“(obsolete) to blame, reproach”), from Middle English atwiten (“to attribute (something) to someone; to blame (something) on someone; to accuse or charge (someone) with something; to speak ill of; to taunt”), from Old English ætwītan (“to blame, reproach; to censure, upbraid; to taunt”), from æt- (prefix meaning ‘at, near; toward’) + wītan (“to accuse; to blame, reproach”) (from Proto-Germanic *wītaną (“to punish; to torment; to know; to see”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to see”)). Piecewise doublet of advise. The noun is probably derived from the verb, although it is attested in print earlier.

Synonyms

censure upbraid accuse atwite blame bumble challenge cop out decry defame denounce fault finger inculpate lay at someone's door lay on lay something at the feet of patronize point the bone put it to put the blame on shend twit wite taunt badger bam barrack brock bullyrag chiack deride fleer fligger flite geck heckle hound jeer nip outlaugh poke borack ridicule scoff sneer alcatote asshat arsehole asshole bayard berk birdbrain blither bobchin bonehead bozo buffoon brickhead Charlie chucklehead

Derived words

betwit twitter twitting twittingly twitling twittish twittishness Twit-Tok twit-twat upper-class twit twitty

Translations

Bulgarian: натяквам Bulgarian: упреквам Chinese Mandarin: 嘲笑 Chinese Mandarin: 责备 Finnish: kiusoitella Neapolitan: sfotte Romanian: mustra Russian: упрека́ть Welsh: edliw
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