twitch Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a sudden muscle spasm; especially one caused by a nervous condition
    vellication; twitching.
  2. verb make an uncontrolled, short, jerky motion
    jerk.
    • his face is twitching
  3. verb move with abrupt, seemingly uncontrolled motions
    jerk.
    • The patient's legs were jerkings
  4. verb toss with a sharp movement so as to cause to turn over in the air
    flip.
  5. verb squeeze tightly between the fingers
    pinch; tweet; twinge; nip; squeeze.
    • He pinched her behind
    • She squeezed the bottle
  6. verb move or pull with a sudden motion

WordNet

Twitch transitive verb
Etymology
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.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Twitched ; present participle & verbal noun Twitching
Definitions
  1. 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.
Twitch noun
Definitions
  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.

Webster 1913