twistle
English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈtwɪsəl/
Audio (UK) (file)
Etymology 1
Alteration of twissel (literally “double, forked”), from Middle English twisel, twisil, from Old English twisla (“confluence, junction, fork of a river or road”), from Proto-Germanic *twisilą (“fork, bifurcation”), from Proto-Indo-European *dwis- (“twice, in two”). Cognate with German Zwiesel (“fork”). Compare also Icelandic kvísl (“branch, a fork; fork of a river”).
Noun
twistle (plural twistles)
- (obsolete) A boundary stream.
Usage notes
- Used primarily in British place names, such as Oswaldtwistle.
Etymology 2
Related to twist.
Verb
twistle (third-person singular simple present twistles, present participle twistling, simple past and past participle twistled)
- (Scotland, transitive) To twist.
Noun
twistle (plural twistles)
- (Scotland) A wrench.