† ˈangletwitch, -touch Obs. or dial.
Forms: 1 -twæcca, -twicce, 2 -twæcche, 4–6 -twytche, -twitche, 5–6 angle-twache, 5–7 -towch, -touch.
[? f. angle n.1 + OE. *twæcca, *twicce, app. connected with vb. twiccean, twitch, of which the OHG. cognate zwickan, MHG. zwicken (also zwacken) had orig. the sense ‘to pierce or transfix as with a nail,’ f. zwec ‘nail, peg, pin.’ Halliw. gives twachel in east. dial. = dew-worm.]
A worm used as bait in fishing; an earth-worm. (Not mentioned by Izaak Walton, but still used in various south. dialects.)
| c 940 Sax. Leechd. II. 44 Genim angeltwæccean ᵹehalne, leᵹe on þa stowe. c 1000 ælfric Voc. in Wright Voc. 24 Lumbricus, ren-wyrm, vel angeltwicce. [MS. c 1150 ibid. 90/2 Lubricus, ongel-twæcche.] 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xviii. cxv. (1495) 856 Wyth angyltwytches fysshe is taken..Molles hunte Angyltwytches vnder erthe. 1513 Stanbridge Voc. in Promp. Parv. 12 Angletwache, lumbricus. [ed. 1615 Angle-touch]. 1562 W. Bullein Sorenes 22 b, Rosed oile, wherin Angletwitches, or yearth Wormes haue been sodden. 1602 Carew Cornwall 26 a, His baites are..Tag-wormes, which the Cornish English term Angle-touches. 1864 E. Capern Devon Provinc., Angle-Twitch, the common earth-worm. |