twit
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /twɪt/
ipa: [tʰw̥ɪt]
homophone: TWT
rhymes: -ɪt
Forms: form: twits
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: [T]he ſayd Thomas Hilles & this Reſpondent ſhevvyd the Frear Barons of certayne old Bookes that they had: as of iiij Evangeliſtes, and certayne Epiſtles of Peter & Poule in Engliſhe. VVhich Bookes the ſayd Frear dyd litle regard, and made a tvvyte of it, & ſayd, A poynt for them, for they be not to be regarded tovvard the nevv printed Teſtament in Engliſhe.
ref: 1528 May 8 (date written; Gregorian calendar), John Strype, “[Appendix: […].] Numb[er] XVII. The Confession of John Tyball a Lollard; Charges with Heresy.”, in Ecclesiastical Memorials; Relating Chiefly to Religion, and the Reformation of It: Shewing the Various Emergencies of the Church of England, under King Henry the Eighth. […], volume I, London: […] John Wyat, […], published 1721, →OCLC, page 38:
text: Wid[ow]. Novv I have receiv'd you into my Family, / I hope you vvill let my maids go quietly about / Their buſineſs, Sir. / S[ir] Fred[erick Frollick]. Upon condition there be no tvvits of the good man / Departed; no preſcription pleaded for evil cuſtoms / On the VVedding night.
ref: 1664, Geo[rge] Etherege, The Comical Revenge; or, Love in a Tub. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, Act V, scene v, page 89:
text: [S]he, beginning to despair of finally winning him, looked about for other consolations, not, however, without an occasional twit at him for disappointing her.
ref: 1847, Leigh Hunt, “Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. An Account of Her Life and Writings.”, in Men, Women, and Books; a Selection of Sketches, Essays, and Critical Memoirs, […], volume II, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […] , →OCLC, page 224:
glosses: A jibe, reproach, or taunt, especially one made in a good-natured or teasing manner.
examples: text: What do you mean, since when did I become such a radical fairy! […] Since I started knowing twits like you, you twit!
ref: 1988 (date written), Larry Kramer, Just Say No: A Play about a Farce, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin’s Press, published 1989, →ISBN, Act II, page 66:
synonyms: word: alcatote
word: asshat
word: arsehole
word: asshole
word: bayard
word: berk
word: birdbrain
word: blither
word: bobchin
word: bonehead
word: bozo
word: buffoon
word: brickhead
word: Charlie
word: chucklehead
word: chowderhead
word: chump
word: clart
word: clown
word: der-brain
word: dill pickle
word: dim bulb
word: dingleberry
word: dipshit
word: dipstick
word: dirtbrain
word: div
word: divvo
word: divvy
word: dolt
word: donk
word: doodle
word: doofus
word: dope
word: dork
word: dote
word: dotterel
word: dullard
word: dumbass
word: dumbbell
word: dumb fuck
word: dummy
word: dunce
word: dunderhead
word: dupe
word: fathead
word: fenderhead
word: fiddle
word: fuckwit
word: fuzznut
word: geck
word: gig
word: gink
word: goober
word: gooseberry
word: gowk
word: gubbins
word: gump
word: ha'p'orth
word: Homer Simpson
word: ignoramus
word: imbecile
word: jamoke
word: jerk
word: jerkoff
word: jolterhead
word: jolthead
word: juggins
word: jughead
word: knucklehead
word: lamebrain
word: mameluke (US (Italian-American)
word: slang)
word: maroon
word: meathead
word: mong
word: moron
word: mug
word: muggins
word: mushhead
word: nimrod
word: nincompoop
word: nit
word: nitwit
word: not the sharpest knife in the drawer
word: numskull
word: numps
word: numpty
word: nupson
word: oaf
word: pillock
word: pinhead
word: plonker
word: prat
word: retard
word: shit for brains
word: shithead
word: shitwit
word: schmo
word: schmuck
word: snapperhead
word: softhead
word: sot
word: stupid
word: sucker
word: thickhead
word: tonto
word: tool
word: tosser
word: tosspot
word: twat
word: twerp
word: twit
word: wally
word: wantwit
word: wazzock
word: yampy
glosses: An annoying or foolish person.
examples: text: Young Strephon he has Woo'd me long, / And Courted me with Pipe and Song; / But I a silly, silly peevish Twit, / For want of Sense, for want of Wit, / Have phoo'd, and cry'd, / Have pish'd, and fy'd, / And play'd the fool, and lost my Time, / And almost slipp'd, and almost slipp'd, / And almost slipp'd my Maiden Prime.
ref: 1720, Thomas d’Urfey, compiler, “A Song. Set by Mr. Henry Purcell.”, in Wit and Mirth: Or Pills to Purge Melancholy; […], volume VI, London: […] W. Pearson, for J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1720 (2nd printing; republished 19th century), →OCLC, page 241:
synonyms: word: carrytale
word: blab
word: blabbermouth
word: blabtale
word: blabtongue
word: busybody
word: buzzer
word: gossip
word: gossiper
word: gossipmonger
word: meddler
word: mouth
word: mumblenews
word: newsmonger
word: rumormonger
word: rumourmonger
word: scandalmonger
word: sleazemonger
word: tabby
word: talebearer
word: talecarrier
word: tattletale
word: telltale
word: telltale tit
word: titivil
word: tittle-tattle
word: town crier
word: whisperer
glosses: 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.
Derived terms: word: twitling
word: twittish
word: twittishness
word: Twit-Tok
word: twit-twat
word: twitty
word: upper-class twit