| twit Nov 4th 2013, 07:06, by CopperKettle | | | | Line 13: | Line 13: | | | # {{context|transitive|lang=en}} To [[reproach]], [[blame]]; to [[ridicule]] or [[tease]]. | | # {{context|transitive|lang=en}} To [[reproach]], [[blame]]; to [[ridicule]] or [[tease]]. | | | #* '''1590''', Shakespeare. ''History of Henry VI'', Part II, Act III, Scene I | | #* '''1590''', Shakespeare. ''History of Henry VI'', Part II, Act III, Scene I | | − | #*: "Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here / With ignominious words, though clerkly couch'd, / As if she had suborned some to swear / False allegations to o'erthrow his state? " - | + | #*: "Hath he not '''twit''' our sovereign lady here | | | + | #*: With ignominious words, though clerkly couch'd, | | | + | #*: As if she had suborned some to swear | | | + | #*: False allegations to o'erthrow his state? " - | | | #* '''1955''', [[w:Rex Stout|Rex Stout]], "When a Man Murders...",<!--... in title--> in [[w:Three Witnesses (book)|''Three Witnesses'']], October 1994 [[w:Bantam Books|Bantam]] edition, ISBN 0553249592, page 106: | | #* '''1955''', [[w:Rex Stout|Rex Stout]], "When a Man Murders...",<!--... in title--> in [[w:Three Witnesses (book)|''Three Witnesses'']], October 1994 [[w:Bantam Books|Bantam]] edition, ISBN 0553249592, page 106: | | | #*: Mr. Cramer, a policeman, came this morning and '''twitted''' me for having let a murderer hoodwink me. | | #*: Mr. Cramer, a policeman, came this morning and '''twitted''' me for having let a murderer hoodwink me. |
Latest revision as of 07:06, 4 November 2013 English[edit] Etymology[edit] Originally twite, an aphetism of Middle English atwite. Pronunciation[edit] twit (third-person singular simple present twits, present participle twitting, simple past and past participle twitted) - (transitive) To reproach, blame; to ridicule or tease.
- 1590, Shakespeare. History of Henry VI, Part II, Act III, Scene I
- "Hath he not twit our sovereign lady here
- With ignominious words, though clerkly couch'd,
- As if she had suborned some to swear
- False allegations to o'erthrow his state? " -
- 1955, Rex Stout, "When a Man Murders...", in Three Witnesses, October 1994 Bantam edition, ISBN 0553249592, page 106:
- Mr. Cramer, a policeman, came this morning and twitted me for having let a murderer hoodwink me.
- 2007, Bernard Porter, "Did He Puff his Crimes to Please a Bloodthirsty Readership?", review of Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer by Tim Jeal, London Review of Books, 5 April, 29:7, p. 10
- H. R. Fox Bourne, secretary of the Aborigines' Protection Society – often twitted for being an 'armchair critic' – wrote in a review of one of Stanley's books […]
- Tillotson
- This these scoffers twitted the Christian with.
- L'Estrange
- Aesop minds men of their errors, without twitting them for what is amiss.
- (transitive, computing) To ignore or killfile (a user on a bulletin board system).
- 1995, "Michelle Jackson", Debutante/Question about Tori Shirts (on newsgroup rec.music.tori-amos)
- However, on the Internet BBS's such as Quartz (now dead), Prism, Monsoon, Sunset, ect[sic], someone pulling that kind of crap is likely to get flamed quite fast and twitted before he/she can breathe.
- 2002, "Chris Hoppman", FidoNet Feed Needed (on newsgroup alt.bbs)
- 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.
Translations[edit] To reproach, blame; to ridicule or tease twit (plural twits) - A reproach, gibe or taunt.
- A foolish or annoying person.
- (Can we date this quote?) Larry Kramer, Just Say No
- What do you mean, since when did I become such a radical fairy? Since I started knowing twits like you, you twit!
Usage notes[edit] In the UK and UK English-speaking areas, usually used in a humorous or affectionate manner. Derived terms[edit] Synonyms[edit] Translations[edit] a reproach, gibe or taunt a foolish or annoying person
twit m (plural twits) - (Quebec, colloquial) twit (foolish person)
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