▪ I. twitter, n.1
(ˈtwɪtə(r))
[f. twitter v.1]
1. A condition of twittering or tremulous excitement (from eager desire, fear, etc.); a state of agitation; a flutter, a tremble. Now chiefly dial.
| 1678 Butler Hud. iii. i. 83 The ancient errant knights Won all their ladies' hearts in fights, And cut whole giants into fritters, To put them into amorous twitters. a 1734 North Exam. i. iii. §31 (1740) 141 The Attorney-General..was in a Twitter; for some of his Friends told him he would certainly be questioned for it in Parliament. 1802 G. Colman Poor Gentleman i. i, If I ben't all of a twitter to see my old John Harrowby again! 1825 J. Neal Bro. Jonathan II. 151 A leap of the heart..and a sort of tingling twitter through all his blood. 1861 Thackeray Four Georges iv. (1862) 198 In a twitter of indignation. 1869 Trollope He knew, etc. xxxi, [She] was in a twitter, partly of expectation, and partly..of fear. 1869 L. M. Alcott Little Women vi, Beth hurried on in a twitter of suspense. |
b. A suppressed laugh, a titter; a fit of laughter. dial.
| 1736 Lewis Isle of Tenet Gloss. s.v. (E.D.S.), He is in a mighty twitter. 1847–78 Halliwell, Twitter,..(2) A fit of laughter. Kent. |
2. An act or the action of twittering, as a bird; light tremulous chirping. Also transf. a sound resembling this.
| 1842 Browning Waring i. vi. 35 As pours some pigeon..her melodious cry Amid their [swallows'] barbarous twitter! 1849 W. S. Mayo Kaloolah v. (1850) 40 The hesitating twitter of the sleepy birds. 1871 Blackie Four Phases i. 43 A mere swallow-twitter of inarticulate jargon. 1902 J. C. Snaith Wayfarers xvi, The ceaseless twitter of the rain on the road. |
▪ II. ˈtwitter, n.2
[Dial. var. quitter n.1]
1. Farriery. = quitter n.1 2. Cf. twitter-bone.
| 1892 Lincolnsh. N. & Q. Apr. 45 Twitter, a tumour or gathering on a horse's foot, just above the hoof. |
2. Whaling. The refuse of the case of the sperm-whale, consisting of a gummy and thready substance (Cent. Dict. 1891).
▪ III. ˈtwitter, n.3 Sc. and north. dial.
[Cf. twit n.2 and twitter v.2]
a. A thin part in a thread that is unequally spun. Also transf. b. A shred, a fragment. c. An entanglement; a complication.
| 1721 Kelly Sc. Prov. 395 You are as small as the Twitter of a twin'd Rusky, a Taunt to a Maid, that would gladly be esteem'd neat, and small. 1825 Jamieson s.v., Yarn is said to be twined to twitters, when twined too small... It is said of a lank delicate girl; ‘She's a mere twitter’. 1847–78 Halliwell, Twitters, shreds; fragments. North. 1876 Whitby Gloss., Twitters, entangled threads; complications of all sorts. |
▪ IV. ˈtwitter, n.4 rare.
[f. twit v. + -er1.]
One who twits; dial. a tale-bearer.
| 1854 A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss. s.v., ‘Don't tell him anything, he's a twitter.’ 1882 in Ogilvie. |
▪ V. twitter, v.1
(ˈtwɪtə(r))
Forms: 4 twyter, twiter, 5– twitter.
[Of imitative origin: cf. OHG. zwizirôn, -erôn (MHG. zwitzern, G. zwitschern), Du. kwetteren, and Sw. qvittra, Norw. dial. kvittra, kvitra, Da. kvidre (see quitter v.2), in sense 1.]
1. intr. Of a bird: To utter a succession of light tremulous notes; to chirp continuously with a tremulous effect.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. met. ii. 54 (Camb. MS.) The Iangelynge bryd..enclosed in a streyht cage..twiterith desyrynge the wode with her swete voys. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 237 Þe nyȝtyngale in his note Twytereþ wel fawnyng Wiþ full swete song. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 434 Swallows twitter on the Chimney Tops. 1750 Gray Elegy v, The swallow twittring from the straw-built shed. 1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge i, Colonies of sparrows chirped and twittered in the eaves. |
b. transf. Of a person: To sing after the above manner; also (esp. of a woman), to talk or chatter rapidly in a small or tremulous voice.
| 1829 Lady Granville Lett. 22 Nov. (1894) II. 49 They..are enchanted, twittering like hedge-sparrows. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 40 While a man is singing and twittering and pouring music like water through the funnel of his ears, the edge of his soul gradually wears away. 1879 K. S. Macquoid Berkshire Lady 178 The old lady twittered and fluttered. |
2. trans. Of a bird: To utter or express by twittering.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 237 Þe osul twytereþ mery songes. 1645 G. Daniel Poems Wks. (Grosart) II. 70 The Squallid owle Twitters a midnight note. 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. II. 105 Linnets,..twittering their welcomes to the day's return. 1884 W. C. Smith Kildrostan i. iii. 14 The swifts and swallows..Twitter their gossip in the evening light. 1891 Farrar Darkn. & Dawn xxxvii, The very birds of the air seemed to flit away from him [Nero], twittering ‘Matricide! matricide!’ |
b. transf. Of a person: cf. 1 b.
| 1864 Browning Youth & Art iii, I..trilled and twittered, ‘Kate Brown's on the boards ere long’. 1878 ― Poets Croisic lxxi, These [lines], brisk as any finch, He twittered. 1900 Sarah Grand Babs xvii, ‘Really, Mrs. Kingconstance,’ Miss Spice twittered excitedly, ‘you are too kind!’ |
3. intr. To move tremulously, tremble, shake, quiver, shiver; esp. to tremble with excitement, eagerness, fear, etc.; to be in a flutter; hence, † to long eagerly, to hanker (after, or to do something). Now dial.
| a 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Scornf. Lady iv. i, When it twitter'd to be at me. 1629 Gaule Holy Madn. 206 Hands clap, Fingers twitter. 1635 Brome Sparagus Gard. iii. v, How the slave twitters. 1675 Bunyan Saved by Grace Wks. (ed. Offor) I. 342 Doth not thy mouth water, doth not thy heart twitter at being saved? 1684 Southerne Disappointm. ii. i, Her eyes and lips, see how they blubb and pout, and twitter and swell at you. a 1688 Bunyan Israel's Hope Encouraged Wks. (ed. Offor) I. 620 Doth not all this discourse make thy heart twitter after the mercy that is with God? 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 46 Where the sunbeam twitter'd on the walls. Ibid. II. 92, I twitter'd like a leaf. 1861 Thackeray Four Georges iv. (1876) 115 The bigness, boisterousness..appear to have..set all the teacups twittering on the tray. 1878 Stevenson Inland Voy. 114, I was..twittering with cold. |
b. trans. To move (something) tremulously; to twiddle (the fingers). rare—1.
| 1855 Thackeray Newcomes vii, Mademoiselle..was twittering her fingers. |
4. intr. To laugh in a suppressed way, titter, giggle. dial.
| 1687 Miége Gt. Fr. Dict. 11, To twitter, or snear at one, to laugh at him with some contempt, se moquer de quêcun. 1694 Motteux Rabelais iv. lii. 204 The Maidens began to snicker,..giggling and twittering among themselves. a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Twitter, to Laugh much with little Noise. 1901 ‘Zack’ Dunstable Weir 11 Folks would have twittered louder had they known whose fancy he was like to take. |
5. trans. To bring into a specified condition by twittering. rare—1.
| 1861 T. L. Peacock Gryll Gr. xiv, The pianoforte is not much to my mind... Its incapability of sustaining a note has led..to those infinitesimal subdivisions of sound, in which all sentiment and expression are twittered and frittered into nothingness. |
▪ VI. ˈtwitter, v.2 Sc. and north. dial.
[Of obscure origin: cf. twit n.2 and twitter n.3]
trans. To spin or twist unevenly, to make ‘twitty’.
| 1674 Ray N.C. Words 50 To Twitter Thread or Yarn, is to Spin it uneven. 1828 Craven Gloss., Twitter, to entangle, as thread which is too hard twisted. 1843 Whistlebinkie (1890) II. 165 Baith twittered and knotty's the thread o' our life. |
▪ VII. ˈtwitter, v.3 Now dial.
[f. twit v. + -er5.]
trans. = twit v. 1; dial. to tease.
| 1749 Fielding Tom Jones viii. vii, It doth not become such a one as you to twitter me. 1800 Browne Poems 155 (E.D.D.) She twitters me out of my life. |