Middle English Dictionary Entry
twīnen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | twīnen v. Also twine, tuwine; p.ppl. twined(e, twinud, twinned, tweined & twinnen. |
| Etymology | From twīn(e n.; cp. MDu. twinen. For forms in -nn- also cp. ON (cp. OI tvinna to double); form in -ei- may show influence of twein num. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. outtwinen v.
1.
(a) To form (a thread) by twisting filaments together, spin; also, of a Fate: spin (the thread of life); twinede thred; (b) to intertwine (threads, filaments, etc.), braid; entwine (a feather into a horse's tail), plait; wind (two filaments together); also, join (two pieces of iron) [quot. c1450]; unite (two things), join inextricably [1st quot.]; (c) to twist (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)7096 : Nas þe þwang noht brod bote ase hit were a twined [Clg: twines] þred.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)36/3 : Þilke þred schal be twyned [vr. twynede], & wiþoute knotte, & I-wexid, & þe lippis of þe wounde schal be sowid togideris.
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Kn.(Corp-O 198)A.2030 : Saugh I conqueste..With þe scharpe swerd ouer his heed Hangynge by a subtyl twyned [vrr. twynyng, twine, twynes] þreed.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.7 : Troilus shal dwellen forth in pyne Til Lachesis his thred no lenger twyne.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)505 : Twynyn threde, or oþer lyke: Torqueo.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)248 : My fatal threed..lachesys hath twynyd ful yerys fyfty.
- c1450 Myght wisdom (Add 31042)45 : Blissede be þi browes..Silke thredys twynede, gilted most heuenliture, Gay, radyant, to þam may likenede bee.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)544 : Wyndyn, or twynyn threde or oder lyke: Torqueo.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)63a/b : Yn defaute of silk þou schalt take good strong twyn þreed of flex, but loke þat þilke þreed be riȝt smoþe & wel y-twyned wiþouten knottis & wel wexid.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)22a/10 : Put by tuyx his tethe a thred twynyd or a stryng waxid and touche þe stryng with thi nayles fast by his mouthe.
b
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.204 : To a torche or a tapre þe trinitee is lykned, As wex and a weke were twyned [C vrr. twynnyd, tweyned; wounde.] togideres, And þanne a fyre flaumende forth oute of bothe.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)191 : Þe mane of þat mayn hors..Folden in wyth fildore aboute þe fayre grene, Ay a herle of þe here, an oþer of golde; Þe tayl & his toppyng twynnen of a sute.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)91/86 : Sum wol tak a feþer & twyne it in þe heere þer þe blod renneþ out & feþeres bynde þere-to.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)113/374 : Take þen v silken þredus & þre heres of an hors taile..& twyne hem wel to-geder as an harpestrenge.
- c1450 Swarte smekyd (Arun 292)18 : Þe mayster longith a lityl, and lascheth a lesse, Twyneth hem tweyn, and towchith a treble: Tik, tak!
- a1500 Tundale (Adv 19.3.1)1903 : The cordes..were of ryche hewe, That wer all of syluer twyned [vrr. twynvd, twynned] And frette wyth golde þat bryȝte schyned.
c
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)70/5 : He kutte þe skyn aboue þe veyne & twynede þe veyne in hise handis, & boond þe eende of þe veyne with a þred.
2.
(a) Ppl. twining, consisting of twisted filaments; (b) of hair, a measuring line: to twist.
Associated quotations
a
- c1440 Chaucer CT.Kn.(Add 25718)A.2030 : Twynyng [Heng: Saugh I conquest..With the sharpe swerd ouer his heed Hangynge by a subtil twynes threed].
b
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1691 : Faxe..schad fro his schulderes to his schyre wykes And, twentyfolde twynande, hit to his tos raȝt.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290:Beadle)81/100 : To hewe þis burde I wyll begynne, But firste I wille lygge on my lyne..So þat it nowthyr twyne nor twynne [?read: twynne nor twyne; rime: lyne, fyne, myne].
3.
In phrases: ~ (oute) notes, ?to intertwine or blend melodies; ?utter songs, sing.
Associated quotations
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)260 : Ful ofte I haue constreyned Breste & throte my notes owte to twyne.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Mum.Bishopswood (Ashm 59)101 : On Parnoso þe lusty muses nyene..Þis sayson singe and þeire notes tuwyne.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)686 : Þe Nyȝtingale, His amerous notis, lo, how he twynyth smale!
4.
Fig. ?To turn (one's thoughts); ?change (one's thoughts) [may belong to twinnen v.(1)].
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1892 : Þa dælden þa broþeran al þis drihtliche lond..Þa þe twa ȝer weren agon þa twineden [Otho: changede] here þonkes.