From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtwisttwist1 /twɪst/ ●●○ S3 verb 1 move [intransitive, transitive]TURN a) to turn a part of your body around or change your position by turning He twisted his head slightly, and looked up at her.twist round/around She twisted round, so that she could see the dog better. b) if you twist your mouth or features, you smile in an unpleasant way or look angry, disapproving etc His mouth twisted in a humourless smile.2 bend [transitive]BEND to bend or turn something, such as wire, hair, or cloth, into a particular shapetwist something into something She twisted her handkerchief into a knot.twist something together Twist the two ends of the wire together.3 wind [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to wind something around or through an objecttwist something round/around/through etc something She twisted a silk scarf round her neck. Ann twisted some daisies through Katherine’s thick brown hair.4 turn [transitive]TURN to turn something in a circle using your handtwist something off (something) Jack twisted the cap off the bottle.5 road/river [intransitive]TURN if a road, river etc twists, it changes direction in a series of curves The road twisted between spectacular mountains. 6 words [transitive]CHANGE/MAKE something DIFFERENT to change the true or intended meaning of a statement, especially in order to get some advantage for yourself He’s always trying to twist my words and make me look bad.7 → twist your ankle/wrist/knee8 → twist and turn9 → twist somebody’s arm → twist/wrap somebody around your little finger at finger1(8), → twist the knife (in the wound) at knife1(3)→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
twist• We twisted a wire coathanger and used it to open the car door.• Then in 1850, a wire suspension bridge twisted and crumpled under the tread of marching troops.• We twisted and tugged to get the mussels loose from their shells.• The streets are narrow and twist and turn and it is not advisable to take a car up them.• Max twisted around to see who had entered the room.• The road twisted back and forth up the side of the mountain.• The path twisted back and forth up the side of the mountain.• The lawyers twisted everything I said to make it look as if I was guilty.• Every time I try to talk to him about it, he just twists everything I say.• The quote was recorded six months before Dall was shoved aside by Ranieri to be left twisting in the wind by Gutfreund.• Her long blonde hair was twisted into a knot on the back of her head.• She was fiddling self-consciously with her wedding ring, twisting it around below her knuckle.• "I can't get the top off." "Try twisting it the other way."• We approached Assisi via the dusty road that twists its way up Monte Subasio.• First the highway twists low, plunging me into Glenwood Canyon.• He's always trying to twist my words and make me look bad.• Wrap the paper around the candy and twist the ends shut.• Laura twisted the handkerchief in her hands nervously.• The hangman then twisted the ladder away, turning off the victim.• Able to twist them, direct them, fill them with ecstasy, or torment them.• A dry stream bed twisted through thick tree roots.• Write very clearly so that no one can twist your meaning.twisted ... head• Church twisted his head sideways as if the writing were the wrong way round.• Ember twisted his head to ease the strain in his neck.• He twisted his head to gulp in air.• She relaxed then tightened her muscles again, moaning as she twisted her head to one side.• Sensing their presence on the threshold of the door, it twisted its head up towards them with a atrocious snarl.twist ... words• You see how the paper ruthlessly twisted words to manipulate the readers' attention.twisttwist2 ●○○ noun [countable] 1 CHANGE/MAKE something DIFFERENTan unexpected feature or change in a situation or series of eventsa new/cruel/unexpected/strange etc twist The robbery took a deadly new twist as the robber pulled out a gun. an unexpected twist in the plot By an amazing twist of fate, we met again in Madrid five years later.2 TURNBENDa twisting action or movement He smiled, a slow cynical twist of his lips.3 TURNa bend in a river or road4 PIECEa small piece of something that is twisted into a particular shapetwist of a twist of lemon5 → the twist6 → round the twist —twisty adjective a twisty road → (don’t) get your knickers in a twist at knickers(3)Examples from the Corpus
twist• She takes her hair down from a twist to pose.• Lorna wears her hair in a twist.• Styling gel was applied to the ends which were then finished with a twist.• a martini with a twist• The diamond sparkled with each twist of the chain.• It has enough twists and fakes, double-crosses and sneak attacks to keep your mind spinning.• And the sporty model, with its bigger tires, felt better in highway twists and turns than its richer sibling.• Do as many twists as you can.• The path has a lot of twists and turns.• The authorities have set a limit of one twist per customer per week, which is no way to handle the problem.• Installing the twist anchors and screwing down the decking should prevent a problem with twisting.a new/cruel/unexpected/strange etc twist• And a new twist is given to the urge to be a Napoleon.• These accounts portray life behind bars as a cruel twist on the Hobbesian description of life: nasty, brutish and long.• Then, in a new twist, the Raiders actually reached the end zone.• The effect is a new twist from an old idea, like the band itself.• There is nothing trendy, no attempt to take something old and it give it a new twist.• Now a new twist to the tale has been uncovered by an author who claims to know why the playwright was murdered.• Here was a new twist to the Hsu Fu story.twist of• a twist of lemonOrigin twist1 (1300-1400) Old English twist “rope” 