twit
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /twɪt/
ipa: [tʰw̥ɪt]
homophone: TWT
rhymes: -ɪt
Forms: form: twits
form: twitting
form: twitted
form: twitted
form: no-table-tags
form: glossary
form: twit
form: twit
form: twitted
form: twit
form: twittest
form: twitted
form: twittedst
form: twits
form: twitteth
form: twitted
form: twit
form: twitted
form: twit
form: twitted
form: twit
form: -
form: twitting
form: twitted
Etymology: PIE word
 *h₂éd
The verb is an aphetic 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”)).
The noun is probably derived from the verb, although it is attested in print earlier.
Senses: examples: text: No man for deſpite, / By worde or by write / His felowe to twite, […]
ref: c. 1552 (date written), Nicholas Udall, [Ralph Roister Doister], [London]: [s.n.], published 1566?; republished as Edward Arber, editor, Roister Doister. […] (English Reprints), London: Muir & Paterson, […], 24 July 1869, →OCLC, Act II, scene iii, page 36:
text: [I]f vvee meane to tvvit a man that he is a foole, vve vvill ſay thou knovveſt not vvhat thou ſayeſt.
ref: 1574, Iohn Caluin [i.e., John Calvin], “The CXXXV. Sermon, which is the Eight vppon the .XXXIIIJ. Chapter”, in Arthur Golding, transl., Sermons of Master Iohn Caluin, vpon the Booke of Iob. […], London: […] Henrie Binneman, for Lucas Harison and George Bishop, →OCLC, page 636, column 1:
text: Hath he not tvvit our Soueraigne Lady here / VVith ignominious vvords, though Clarkely coucht? / As if ſhe had ſuborned ſome to ſvveare / Falſe allegations, to o'rethrovv his ſtate.
ref: 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 131, column 2:
text: Well wanton, laugh not my ould age to ſcorne, / nor twit me ſo my ſenſes to haue loſte, / the time hath been when as my hopefull morne / promiſ'd as much as nowe thy youth can boaſte: […]
ref: 1606?, Michaell Drayton [i.e., Michael Drayton], “The Second Eglog”, in Poemes Lyrick and Pastorall. […], London: […] R. B[radock] for N[icholas] L[ing] and I[ohn] Flasket, →OCLC; republished in Poemes Lyrick and Pastorall (Publications of the Spenser Society, New Series; 4), [Manchester: […] Charles E. Simms] for the Spenser Society, 1891, →OCLC, page 39:
text: This Hannah though ſilent vvhen tvvitted by Peninnah for barrenneſs, found her tongue vvhen here taxed by Eli of drunkenneſs: becauſe a meer ſufferer in the former, but in the latter a ſinner, had the accuſation been true.
ref: 1650, Thomas Fuller, “The Tribe of Ephraim”, in A Pisgah-sight of Palestine and the Confines thereof, with the History of the Old and New Testament Acted thereon, London: […] J. F. for John Williams […], →OCLC, book II, paragraph 18, page 186:
text: Thou twittest me with my Grey Hairs, yet considerest not how I am of the Nature of Leeks, which with a white Head carry a green, fresh, streight, and vigorous Tail.
ref: 1653, Francis Rabelais [i.e., François Rabelais], translated by [Thomas Urquhart, Peter Anthony Motteux], “How Friar Jhon Comforteth Panurge in the Doubtful Matter of Cuckoldry”, in The Works of Francis Rabelais, Doctor in Physick: Containing Five Books of the Lives, Heroick Deeds, and Sayings of Gargantua, and His Sonne Pantagruel. […], London: […] [Thomas Ratcliffe and Edward Mottershead] for Richard Baddeley, […], →OCLC; republished in volume I, London: […] Navarre Society […], [1948], →OCLC, 3rd book, page 438:
text: The old Non-conformiſts being the ſame vvith the modern Presbuterians, but depreſſed and under, as the modern Presbuterians are the old Non-conformiſts, but vertical and in Authority, do (though the Animadvertor tvvitteth me conſtantly to Advocate for them) take great and general exception at me; […]
ref: 1659, Thomas Fuller, “That the Author Designed unto Himself No Party-pleasing in Writing His Church-history”, in The Appeal of Iniured Innocence: Unto the Religious Learned and Ingenious Reader: In a Controversie betwixt the Animadvertor Dr. Peter Heylyn and the Author Thomas Fuller, London: […] W. Godbid, and are to be sold by John Williams […], →OCLC, part I, page 11:
text: Again in the ſecond Book of the Chronicles, there Abijah King of Juda ſpeaking to Iſrael, upbraids to them their confidence in their multitude, and in their Golden Calves vvhich Jeroboam made them for Gods; tvvitting them thereby aſſuredly for their Idolatry; […]
ref: 1664, H[enry] More, chapter VI, in A Modest Enquiry into the Mystery of Iniquity, […], London: […] J[ames] Flesher for W[illiam] Morden […], →OCLC, book I, page 19:
text: Hovv much are vve Oblig'd then, […] to Æſop, in the Firſt Place, as the Founder, and Original Author, or Inventer of This Art of Schooling Mankind into Better Manners; by Minding Men of their Errors vvithout Tvvitting them for what's Amiſs, and by That Means Flaſhing the Light of their Ovvn Conſciences in their Ovvn Faces!
ref: 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “The Preface”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:
text: Novv this, 'tis probable, theſe Scoffers tvvitted the Chriſtians vvithall; And becauſe Chriſt did not come vvhen ſome looked for him, they concluded he vvould not come at all.
ref: a. 1695 (date written), John Tillotson, The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], London: […] B. Aylmer, […]; [a]nd W. Rogers, […], published 1696, →OCLC, page 101:
text: VVhen on a ſubſequent day, he vvas tvvitted by Mrs. Thrale for being very late, vvhich he generally vvas, he defended himſelf by alluding to the extraordinary morning, vvhen he had been too early, "Madam, I do not like to come down to vacuity."
ref: 1791, James Boswell, “[1775]”, in James Boswell, editor, The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. […], volume I, London: […] Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, […], →OCLC, page 515:
text: No rascally comparative insults a Beggar, or thinks of weighing purses with him. […] No one twitteth him with ostentation above his means. No one accuses him of pride, or upbraideth him with mock humility.
ref: 1823, Elia [pseudonym; Charles Lamb], “A Complaint of the Decay of Beggars in the Metropolis”, in Elia. Essays which have Appeared under that Signature in The London Magazine, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, pages 265–266:
text: Nay, do not twit me now with all the freaks, / And levities, and gambols charged upon me / By every lean-faced dame that wears a hood.
ref: 1836, Joanna Baillie, “Romiero: A Tragedy. In Five Acts.”, in Dramas, […], volume I, London: […] Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longman, […], →OCLC, Act III, scene ii, page 55:
text: Now some imaginatively heterodoxical men are often surprisingly twitted upon their willful inverting of all common-sense notions, their absurd and all-displacing transcendentals, which say three is four, and two and two make ten.
ref: 1852 July, Herman Melville, “Book XVIII. Pierre, as a Juvenile Author, Reconsidered.”, in Pierre: Or, The Ambiguities, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, section II, page 356:
text: Anything would be better than being twitted in this way. How can I help it that I am not a man and able to work for my bread?
ref: 1865 May 15 – 1866 January 1, Anthony Trollope, “Captain Aylmer Meets His Constituents”, in The Belton Estate. […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published December 1865 (indicated as 1866), →OCLC, page 193:
text: The honourable member for Ellesmere, on the opening of this session, got up and twitted them with not being there on the first day.
ref: 1865 September 12, John Williamson, Maurice Fitzgerald, compiler, “Separation. Adjourned Debate.”, in New Zealand. Parliamentary Debates. Third and Fourth Parliaments. […] (House of Representatives), Wellington: G. Didsbury, government printer, published 1887, →OCLC, page 499, column 2:
text: Dear France, thou thy insular neighbour oft twittest / As "Shopkeeper!" Well ma'am, j'y suis, and shall stop; / For a Shopkeeper's one who—of course—keeps the Shop!
ref: 1893 October 14, “‘Masterly Inactivity’”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, volume CV, London: […] Bradbury, Agnew, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 174, column 2:
text: Mr. Cramer, a policeman, came this morning and twitted me for having let a murderer hoodwink me.
ref: 1954 May, Rex Stout, “When a Man Murders”, in The American Magazine, volume 157, New York, N.Y.: Colver Publishing House, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 128, columns 1–2; republished in Three Witnesses, New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books, October 1994, →ISBN, page 106:
synonyms: word: censure
word: upbraid
word: blame
word: fault
word: put the blame on
word: twit
word: taunt
word: badger
word: bam
word: barrack
word: brock
word: bullyrag
word: chiack
word: deride
word: fleer
word: fligger
word: flite
word: geck
word: heckle
word: hound
word: jeer
word: nip
word: outlaugh
word: poke borack
word: ridicule
word: scoff
word: sneer
word: taunt
word: twit
glosses: To blame or reproach (someone), especially in a good-natured or teasing manner; also, to ridicule or tease (someone).
examples: text: But in the Lovver Houſe ſome there vvere vvhich handled theſe things more tumultuouſly, namely, Bell and Monſon, great Lavvyers, Dutton, Paul VVentvvorth, and others, vvhich tvvitted the Authority of the Queen's Majeſty too much, […]
ref: 1675, William Camden, “The Ninth Year of Her Reign. Ann. Domini 1566.”, in R[obert] N[orton], transl., The History of the Most Renowned and Victorious Princess Elizabeth, Late Queen of England; […], 3rd (revised) edition, London: […] Thomas Harper, for Benjamin Fisher, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 84:
synonyms: censure
ridicule
glosses: To criticize or disapprove of (something), especially in a good-natured or teasing manner.
examples: text: However, on the Internet BBS's such as Quartz (now dead), Prism, Monsoon, Sunset, ect,^([sic – meaning etc]) someone pulling that kind of crap is likely to get flamed quite fast and twitted before he/she can breathe.
ref: 1995 December 5, Michelle Jackson, “Debutante/Question about Tori Shirts”, in rec.music.tori-amos (Usenet):
text: Not only are some of the notoriously foul-mouthed echoes excluded from the BBS message base, but each message is auto-censored for key words that are, in the opinion of the SysOp (me in this case), offensive to a "G" audience. And no, it isn't 100% effective. And no, there is no "thought purification program" that can filter out some folks^([sic]) obscene ideas that can be expressed w/o written vulgarities. That has to be simply "dealt" with, either by ignoring or twitting the individual that offends habitually.
ref: 2002 August 14, Marc Lewis, “FidoNet”, in alt.bbs (Usenet):
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: To ignore or kill file (a user on a bulletin board system).
glosses: Followed by it: to speak or write (something) in a taunting or teasing manner.
examples: text: Secrecy about B.R. plans for reorganisation and closure of lines and notably some failures to consult with staff representatives concerned with redundancy, are defects with which the railway unions have twitted Dr. Beeching.
ref: 1962 August, “Talking of Trains: Under Their Hats”, in Modern Railways, Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 80:
text: H[enry] R[ichard] Fox Bourne, secretary of the Aborigines' Protection Society – often twitted for being an 'armchair critic' – wrote in a review of one of [Henry Morton] Stanley's books: 'The Society is not condemning Mr Stanley or his subordinates so much, but the mounting of an expedition with aims and methods which almost necessitated the cruelties and slaughters that were incident to it … It seems better to remain in armchairs and pass resolutions than wantonly to embark on perilous enterprises, which can only be carried out by means that degrade Englishmen.'
ref: 2007 April 5, Bernard Porter, “Did He Puff His Crimes to Please a Bloodthirsty Readership? Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa’s Greatest Explorer by Tim Jeal. Faber, 570 pp., £25, March 2007, 978 0 571 22102 8 [book review]”, in Mary-Kay Wilmers, editor, London Review of Books, volume 29, number 7, London: LRB Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 03 Mar 2024, page 10:
text: […] [Francis] Coster a Ieſuit againſt Luke Oſiander, vvho obiecting out of Peter Lombard thoſe vvords, (Credit oportet, It muſt be beleeued) that the bleſſed Virgins fleſh vvas conceiued in originall ſinne; and pretending by thoſe vvords, to proue a Catholike beliefe therein, Coſter thus tvvitteth and retorteth againſt him; […]
ref: 1611, Richard Sheldon, Certain General Reasons, Proving the Lawfulnesse of the Oath of Allegiance, […], London: […] Felix Kyngston [and Arnold Hatfield], for William Aspley, →OCLC, page 56:
glosses: To blame or reproach, especially in a good-natured or teasing manner.
qualifier: obsolete except British
glosses: To be indiscreet; to gossip.
Derived terms: word: betwit
word: twitter
word: twitting
word: twittingly